Sokoto and FG launch separate youth skills training in solar, repairs and AI
- Sokoto began a two-week training for 50 youths in phone repairs, solar installation and computer repairs.
- The Federal Government started a similar two-week programme for 150 Enugu youths in AI, solar and fashion design.
- Both schemes promise starter packs and monitoring, with organisers saying skills beat one-off cash handouts.
Two youth skills programmes got underway this week: one run by Sokoto State for 50 young people, and a Federal Government scheme for 150 youths in Enugu State. Both are two-week courses aimed at helping participants start small businesses rather than depend on handouts.
In Sokoto, the trainees are learning to repair mobile phones and computers, and to install and maintain solar power systems. The state's Commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Dr Bashir Mohamed Achida, flagged off the programme and said it fits into Governor Ahmed Aliyu's nine-point SMART agenda, which puts youth empowerment and economic growth high on its list.
Achida argued that teaching people a trade lasts longer than giving them money. He said young people make up roughly 73 to 75 per cent of Sokoto's population, and that such a large youth base could drive growth if their skills are developed.
"The best way to empower our youth is to provide them with the necessary skills, life skills and hands-on skills so that they can live a dignified life and help themselves," he said.
The consultant for the programme, Yahaya Dogondaji, who heads Dogondaji General Services, said the 14 days would give participants the know-how to spot and fix faults in electronic devices and solar systems. The state picked only 50 people for this first set so trainers can supervise them closely, with plans to take in more youths later. According to the commissioner, those who finish will get starter kits and support to set up shop, and the government will check on them afterwards to see that the skills are being used.
Enugu gets federal training
In Enugu, the Federal Government's programme covers artificial intelligence (AI), solar installation and fashion design. It is run under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), coordinated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, working with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Dr Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, said the scheme reflects President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. She said the South-East is an important part of the plan and that the training has already run in the South-West and North-Central, with other zones to follow.
Felix Okonkwo, director of the Macroeconomic Analysis Department at the budget ministry, said the government is moving away from small cash transfers towards skills and small-business support. He put the cash handouts it is replacing at ₦5,000, ₦8,000 or ₦10,000.
The 150 Enugu beneficiaries were chosen through an open application advertised on social media and radio. Governor Peter Mbah, represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Chris-Roberts Ozongwu, said the programme supports the state's own push for entrepreneurship and skills.
What happens next
Enugu participants will get equipment to start businesses, and the budget ministry says it will check on them after six months and again after a year. Sokoto's first 50 will receive tools and start-up help, with the state planning to widen the scheme. Both programmes are part of a wider push to cut unemployment by training young people for trades in demand, including solar work as more homes and businesses turn to alternative power.
