The Youth Employability and Skills Project (YESP) has commenced training for 3,400 young people across Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states to equip them with relevant skills for employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the European Union (EU), is being implemented by Yaba College of Technology in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
The Project Coordinator, Dr Funmilayo Doherty, disclosed this on Monday during the project’s launch and induction training in Kano, where participants were introduced to the Global Record Book, National Skills Qualification and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse requirements.
Doherty said the programme would reach beneficiaries across 30 selected local government areas, with Kano expected to provide 1,200 participants, while Jigawa and Sokoto would each have 1,100 beneficiaries.
She urged employers and industry leaders to provide internship, apprenticeship, mentorship and employment opportunities for participants to enable them to translate their training into sustainable livelihoods.
She noted that Nigeria’s growing youth population could contribute significantly to economic development if equipped with skills relevant to current and emerging labour market demands.
Doherty added that special attention would be given to young women and vulnerable youths to ensure that those facing barriers to opportunities also benefited from the programme.
In his remarks, the UNICEF Representative at its Kano Field Office, Shafeeq Ur Rehman, said the partnership demonstrated a shared commitment to investing in young people as drivers of economic growth, innovation and sustainable development.
Similarly, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, represented by the Deputy Rector, Dr Ismail Badmus, said the institution was pleased to participate in the initiative.
He disclosed that the college was targeting 18,000 young people for various skills acquisition programmes as part of its efforts to promote technical education, employability and economic empowerment.
The YESP is expected to provide training in digital, green, technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills, alongside pathways to employment and enterprise development.