FG to train 40,000 youths in ICT, digital skills

From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja

The Federal Government has announced plans to train approximately 40,000 Nigerians in Information Communication Technology (ICT), and digital skills through the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI). The initiative is aimed at empowering about 93,731 Nigerians on various skills acquisition across the country. Also, 3,000 slots have been specifically allocated for individuals with special needs under the supervision of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). The Director General of NDE, Silas Agara, disclosed this during the official launch of the RHEI at the NDE Skills Acquisition Center, at the Bwari Area Council of Abuja on Friday.

Agara noted that each state, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), would receive 81 of the reserved slots for persons with special needs. He further explained that some beneficiaries would be supported in starting productive entrepreneurial ventures through the provision of tools, equipment, and startup capital, adding that discussions are underway with financial institutions to ensure that every participant in the scheme receives assistance.

According to him: “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 programmes 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.”