Federal government to empower 40,000 youths with ICT, digital skills
The Federal Government on Friday, announced plans to train 4,000 Nigerians in ICT and digital skills through the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI).
The government has also allocated 3,000 slots out of the 93,731 beneficiaries of the RHEI to individuals with special needs. These beneficiaries will also receive training in ICT and digital skills under the supervision of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
The Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Honourable Silas Agara, announced this at the official launch of the RHEI at the NDE FCT Skills Acquisition Center in Kuduru, Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
Hon. Agara explained that out of the 3,000 slots reserved for persons with special needs, each state, including the FCT, will receive 81 slots.
He said some beneficiaries will receive tools, equipment, and startup capital to help them start their own businesses. Discussions are also underway with financial institutions to provide loans to all beneficiaries.
In his own words, “The current employment initiative has been designed to engage a total of 93,731 unskilled and unemployed persons across Nigeria.
” Inclusiveness has been a cardinal consideration as we designed this programme. We have ensured that a minimum of 10 persons from each of the 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria were recruited to benefit from the 30 skills set across our four core programmed of vocational skills development, small scale enterprises, rural employment promotion and special public works.
“Furthermore, various categories of the unskilled and unemployed have been provided for within the framework of the programme such as school leavers, school dropouts, women, graduates of tertiary institutions, retirees and persons with special needs among others
” I would like to add that after the training, a good number of the beneficiaries will be resetled into productive entrepreneurial lives through the provisions of tools, equipment and startup capital.
“However, those that we are not able to resettle will be linked with credit Granting Institutions for further support.”
Agara emphasized the NDE’s commitment to using cutting-edge technology in the design and execution of the RHEI.
“I am delighted to inform you that 40,000 out of the 93,731 persons enrolled in this programme will be receiving training in ICT and digital skills. This is a deliberate step by the NDE in order to equip our youths with emerging skills that will enable them become globally competitive.”
