NDE launches renewed hope training for over 40,000 Nigerians

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has flagged off the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, designed to train 41,307 Nigerians in 30 different skills.

The skills that will be on offer include vocational trades, entrepreneurship, agriculture, ICT, and public works.

The programme is aimed at tackling unemployment and equipping Nigerians with demand-driven skills to boost self-reliance and economic growth.

Silas Agara, the Director-General of the NDE, who was speaking at the launch in Gusau, said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises job creation, economic growth, and poverty alleviation.

Agara, represented by the Zamfara State Coordinator, Hajiya Hadiza Kolo, recalled that the first phase, launched on December 6, 2024, trained 32,692 unemployed Nigerians across the 36 states and the FCT.

Out of this figure, 5,532 beneficiaries were resettled with starter packs and soft loans, while others were linked to credit-granting institutions to support business take-off.

He explained that the second phase will benefit 41,307 participants, with 14,457 trainees set to receive starter packs at the end of their training to enable them to establish themselves in their chosen fields.

Agara also disclosed that the registration process was fully digitalized through a robust online portal to ensure transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.

Beneficiaries were selected from electoral wards across the country to guarantee nationwide coverage.

“It is our expectation that participants will acquire practical skills that enhance employability, nurture entrepreneurial mindsets, and ultimately improve livelihoods while contributing to community development and national economic growth,” Agara said.

Despite limited budgetary resources, he reaffirmed NDE’s commitment to equipping unemployed Nigerians with relevant skills that will enable them to become wealth creators and employers of labour.

Tasiu Musa Shinkafi, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, urged the trainees to take the programme seriously in order to acquire valuable skills.

Participants expressed gratitude to the NDE and the Federal Government for the initiative.

Bashir Mahmood, a trainee, encouraged colleagues to focus on practical skills rather than immediate financial gains, describing the programme as life-changing.

Naomi Aladdin, another participant, said the training would help many Nigerians, especially women, become self-reliant.

The initiative was widely commended as a major step toward reducing unemployment and poverty across the country.

Editing by Nelia Adione, Muzha Kucha, Tijjani Ibrahim and Tony Okerafor