The Federal Government has expanded its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to Oyo, Enugu and Kebbi states as part of efforts to equip Nigerian youths with practical skills and improve their economic opportunities.
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) said the latest phase of the programme forms part of the Federal Government’s broader plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within 10 years through economic growth, skills development and targeted social protection.
Dr. Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, said the initiative was aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and was designed to position young Nigerians as contributors to national development.
The programme began with a pilot in Abuja on June 30, 2025, where participants underwent a 10-day training programme in cybersecurity and web development, alongside a solar energy installation track.
According to Arogundade, the Abuja pilot attracted more than 7,000 applications. Participants received practical training and, upon completion, laptops and certificates.
The Federal Government is now extending the programme across the country’s geopolitical zones, with each participating zone hosting 200 trainees for intensive training lasting between 10 days and two weeks.
The training areas are selected according to local market demand, relevance and the preferences of participants. The initial national expansion is expected to benefit 1,200 young Nigerians.
In Oyo State, which represents the South-West zone, training is scheduled to begin on September 28, 2026, and will run daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for two weeks.
Participants in Oyo will receive training in graphics and artificial intelligence (AI) design, makeup and fashion designing.
In Enugu State, one of the designated training hubs in the South-East, participants will be trained in makeup, solar energy installation and fashion designing. The solar training will cover panel installation, maintenance and off-grid energy solutions.
Kebbi State, in the North-West, will offer training in graphics and AI design, fashion designing and agriculture, with a focus on yoghurt production. The agriculture component will cover dairy processing, packaging and small-scale agribusiness.
The programme also provides participants with training kits designed to support them after completing their courses.
Graphics and AI trainees will receive laptops, while makeup trainees will receive makeup kits. Fashion trainees will receive sewing machines and starter kits, while participants in yoghurt production will receive fermentation kits.
The Federal Government said the initiative is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with marketable skills, reducing unemployment and underemployment, and encouraging entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
OSSAP-TVEE also called on state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and private-sector organisations to collaborate with the Federal Government as the programme is extended to more states.
FG Expands Poverty Reduction Skills Programme to Oyo, Enugu, Kebbi
