No fewer than 1,500 youths have benefitted from the digital skills training organised through a partnership between the Federal Government’s World Bank-supported IDEAS/TVET Project and the African Health Project.
The World Bank-backed Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) initiative, under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, is designed to boost job opportunities for young people across Nigeria through digital and vocational learning.
Speaking during the inauguration of the digital skills training in Suleja on Monday, Dr Ali Onoja, Chief Executive Officer of the African Health Project and proprietor of the Fabsi Institute of Entrepreneurship, said that 529 youths participated in the pilot phase of the programme between January and June 2024. Out of the total number, 460 successfully met the certification requirements.
He explained that further training programmes supported by Ubelle Nigeria Limited and partners have since trained more than 1,000 additional youths. “This brings the total number of beneficiaries already reached through the IDEAS/TVET and Fabsi partnership to well over 1,500 youths,” Onoja said.
According to him, beyond the latest phase inaugurated in Suleja, the African Health Project has also received approval to train 200 more youths aged 15 to 35 in computer hardware and mobile device repairs. He noted that successful participants would be registered with the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) to improve their employability and access to digital jobs.
Onoja stated that the programme runs for a minimum of six months, including certification and industry-based internships. Completion is assessed based on the trainee’s transition to job placement or self-employment. He added that the initiative is part of a wider plan to strengthen Nigeria’s workforce through practical skills and innovation-driven education.
National Project Coordinator of IDEAS/TVET, Mrs Uche Mbaogwu, described the initiative as a national strategy to address unemployment by equipping young Nigerians with market-relevant digital skills. Represented by Mrs Blessing Ogwu from the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, she said the training is part of ongoing government efforts to foster innovation, create job opportunities, and support inclusive development.
“The training is free-of-charge to all beneficiaries,” Mbaogwu said. “IDEAS/TVET remains committed to providing accessible skills, knowledge, and opportunities required for competitiveness in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.”
She commended the African Health Project for its role in executing the training, describing the organisation as “not just a facilitator, but a nation builder helping Nigeria shape the future of its young people.”
Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour, Dr Ngozi Onwudiwe, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, praised the initiative as a platform that ignites dreams and opens doors of opportunity for Nigerian youths.
“What we are witnessing is a powerful example of collaboration for impact on government, global partners, and local institutions working together to empower Nigerian youths,” she said, urging participants to embrace character, discipline, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the growing digital economy.
