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No fewer than 1,330 unemployed and underemployed youths in Lagos State have been equipped with vocational, entrepreneurship and financial management skills under the Youth Innovation, Enterprise and Livelihood Development (YIELD) Project, an initiative implemented by Worden HCD Limited in partnership with Access Bank Plc and the Lagos State Government.
The four-week programme, implemented in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Wealth Creation and Employment, was designed to improve youth employability, encourage enterprise creation and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Participants received practical training in high-demand vocational fields including solar photovoltaic (PV) installation and maintenance, CCTV installation, fashion design, Adire (tie and dye), crocheting and bag making. They were also trained in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business planning, branding, digital business tools, customer acquisition, bookkeeping, pricing strategies, business registration and market access.
Chief Operating Officer and Team Lead of Worden HCD Limited, Abasi Ifreke Brendan, described the project as an investment in raising a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs rather than depending solely on paid employment.
According to her, empowerment extends beyond skills acquisition to equipping young people with the confidence, business knowledge and support systems needed to establish sustainable enterprises.
“The YIELD Project demonstrates what becomes possible when government, the private sector and development organisations work together with a shared vision. Every young person we trained represents a future business owner, employer and innovator who will contribute to Lagos State’s economic prosperity,” she said.
Brendan reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to expanding access to quality human capital development programmes that prepare young Nigerians for the future of work while addressing local economic challenges.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Wealth Creation and Employment, Amb. Comr. Tijani Saheed Oluwadare, commended the collaboration, describing youth empowerment as critical to the state’s economic future.
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He said initiatives such as the YIELD Project complement the Lagos State Government’s drive to create employment opportunities, promote entrepreneurship and expand wealth creation across the state.
According to him, practical skills development and enterprise support are essential to building a generation of economically productive young people capable of contributing meaningfully to the state’s competitiveness.
Oluwadare added that stronger collaboration among government, development organisations and responsible private sector institutions remains vital to expanding opportunities for young people.
Access Bank Plc, the programme’s strategic partner, said its support aligns with its commitment to promoting entrepreneurship, financial inclusion and youth-led enterprise development.
The bank noted that empowering young Nigerians with business knowledge, technical skills and financial capabilities remains central to its strategy for supporting small businesses, job creation and inclusive economic growth.
Worden HCD explained that the YIELD Project integrates vocational training, entrepreneurship education, mentorship and enterprise development support to help participants establish viable businesses, improve household incomes and strengthen local economies.
The organisation said it would continue to partner with government agencies, development organisations and private sector stakeholders to expand access to workforce development and entrepreneurship programmes across the country.
