Katsina graduates 1,662 trainees, says ₦4bn went into craft village

Katsina State has put more than ₦4 billion into overhauling the Katsina Youth Craft Village, Governor Dikko Radda said on Monday, as the centre passed out 1,662 trainees with certificates and tools to start their own businesses.

The money went into renovating the centre and fitting it with modern machines and equipment, according to the governor. The state also set up an innovation hub and an innovation office there.

The graduates were trained in more than 15 trades, including tailoring, welding and fabrication, carpentry, electrical installation, computer repairs, catering, cosmetology, plumbing and automobile repairs.

Monday's ceremony was the institution's second. At the first, 648 people graduated. Radda put the rise at 156.79 per cent, describing it as unprecedented and a sign that his agenda is working.

Tools, not just certificates

The governor said his administration wants training to lead to real income, so each graduate left with start-up equipment rather than a certificate alone. He described the approach as handing out the hook and the net, not just the fish.

He asked the graduates not to sell the items. "The sewing machines, the welding machines and the laptops represent your future. They are your factories," he said, urging them in the name of Allah not to dispose of the packs.

Radda argued that skills training is also a security measure, saying an idle young person is a danger to society while a skilled one is an asset.

Former governor Ibrahim Shema, who spoke at the event, said the craft village was set up about 17 years ago for young people, especially those from rural and poor backgrounds. He said it has drawn trainees from across Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic, and that past graduates have gone on to professional jobs and businesses. He gave the same warning against selling the equipment, saying doing so amounts to selling one's future.

Ahmed Aliyu, the commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, said vocational training should no longer be seen as a lesser option to academic qualifications.

The centre's coordinator, Abdullahi Kofar-Sauro, said the graduates arrived as job seekers and are leaving as job creators.

What happens next

Radda said his government aims to train and empower more than 5,000 young people through craft villages before the end of his first term. He also promised vocational centres in all 34 local government areas of the state, with no firm date given.

For young people in Katsina, the pledge points to more training places closer to rural communities. Whether the equipment turns into lasting businesses will depend on how the graduates use it and on demand for their trades locally.