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By Gabriel Dike
Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) North-West Zonal Office and the ITF Area Offices in Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states, on Monday launched the Youth Employability and Skills Project (YESP) in Kano.
The YESP launch and induction training for training service providers, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the European Union (EU), will run from November 2 to Friday, November 6, 2026.
The intervention targets 3,400 adolescents and young people across 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states, with the objective of equipping beneficiaries with practical vocational, digital, green and entrepreneurial skills to improve their employability, encourage enterprise development and promote sustainable livelihoods.
The project is part of the EU-supported Education and Youth Empowerment Programme in Northern Nigeria (EYEPINN), with UNICEF as one of its key partners.
The initiative will benefit 1,700 females and 1,700 males, reflecting a commitment to inclusive participation and equitable access to skills development opportunities for young people.
Ahead of the project launch and induction training, the YESP team, led by the Project Coordinator, Dr Funmilayo Doherty, paid a courtesy visit to the ITF Zonal Director, North-West Zonal Office, Engr. Sirajo Tukur, to strengthen collaboration and secure the institutional support necessary for the successful implementation of the intervention.
The delegation included the Area Manager, ITF, Kano State, Comrade Yunusa Otokiti; the ITF Area Manager, Dutse, Jigawa State, Mallam Aliu Ibn Zakari; programme facilitators; and members of the project team.
During the visit, Tukur expressed delight at the project and pledged his total support for its successful implementation. He emphasised that youth empowerment was critical to national development, noting that equipping young people with relevant vocational and entrepreneurial skills would enhance their capacity to contribute productively to the economy.
The ITF Zonal Director’s commitment underscores the importance of collaboration between technical institutions, government agencies and international development partners in addressing youth unemployment and expanding economic opportunities.
Earlier, Doherty gave an overview of the project, outlining its objectives, implementation framework and anticipated impact on the target communities.
She solicited increased support and cooperation from the ITF leadership and other stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of the project’s mandate.
The project will be implemented by YABATECH in partnership with the ITF North-West Zonal Office and the ITF Area Offices in Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states, with support from UNICEF and the European Union, Doherty elucidated. Each state, according to her, will have 10 participating LGAs, covering communities where UNICEF is already working with state governments under the EU-supported programme.
She added that, beyond technical competencies, the intervention was designed to help participants develop the capabilities needed to access employment, establish businesses and pursue other productive livelihood opportunities.
Its focus on digital and green skills also reflects the changing demands of the labour market and the growing importance of innovation and sustainable economic practices.
The project adopts a collaborative approach involving government institutions, local communities, training service providers and other stakeholders to promote local ownership, encourage participation and ensure the sustainability of its outcomes, she stated.
The Rector of YABATECH, Dr Engr. Ibraheem Abdul, has continued to support initiatives that expand the college’s engagement with development partners and deploy its technical expertise to address national development priorities.
He said the YESP intervention further reinforced YABATECH’s commitment to skills development, innovation, youth empowerment and the creation of stronger pathways between education, training, employment and entrepreneurship.
With 3,400 young people expected to benefit across Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states, the project represents a significant collaborative effort to strengthen human-capital development and improve the economic prospects of young Nigerians, Abdul expatiated.
