The Nigerian Government has commenced the Oyo State phase of its skills acquisition and empowerment programme, with a national target of lifting five million young Nigerians out of poverty through practical training, entrepreneurship, and access to productive tools. The programme, implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), is designed to equip beneficiaries with market-relevant skills and connect them with opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods and businesses.
The Oyo phase commenced September 28 in Ibadan and runs until October 9, 2026, following the programme's earlier commencement in the Federal Capital Territory, with the intervention expected to reach other states and geopolitical zones. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed the development at the Oyo programme's commencement.
A total of 200 participants are undergoing training: 30 in Graphics and Artificial Intelligence, and 85 each in makeup artistry and fashion design. Arogundade said the intervention goes beyond skills training, as beneficiaries will also be connected with organisations and business opportunities to help them turn their skills into sustainable income sources. She added that 500 tablets will be distributed at the grand finale as part of the government's digital empowerment drive, bringing the total reached through training and device distribution to 700 in the Oyo intervention.
The government is also providing start-up tools: Graphics and AI trainees receive laptops, fashion design trainees receive sewing machines, and makeup trainees receive fully equipped makeup kits, intended to give participants a pathway into self-employment, freelance work, and small business creation.
Keynote speaker Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, speaking during the Graphics and AI training, said the growing adoption of artificial intelligence presents opportunities to improve employability and prepare young Nigerians for emerging jobs, encouraging beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge, build relevant portfolios, and continue developing their skills. One beneficiary, Idowu Olaleye, a graphic designer and 400-level International Relations student at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said the programme would help bridge the gap between existing skills and the changing requirements of the labour market.
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Makeup trainer and CEO of Chuchu's Glamour, Rukayat Muhammad, said the 85 makeup trainees are being trained in techniques, products, sanitation, and professional practice, and would receive equipment and products to support their practice going forward.
Arogundade urged participants to use the knowledge acquired to train others and contribute to skills development within their communities, as part of the programme's broader efforts under the NPRGS to reduce poverty, promote inclusive economic growth, and expand access to technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship education.
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