The “Train and Employ” digital skills acquisition programme for Greater Awgu youths from the enclave is set to commence on Monday, February 2, at the Digital Bridge Institute, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu.
The first batch of the programme will involve 50 unemployed graduates drawn from Aninri, Awgu and Oji River local government areas, out of the 300 youths already selected for the initiative. Subsequent batches of 50 participants will undergo the same training process at the same centre until all selected youths are covered.
Participants will receive training in cyber security, digital marketing, call centre management and software engineering. Beneficiaries will also be provided with basic working tools, including laptops, as well as monthly stipends throughout the programme.
The training is expected to last between three and six months and comes with a guarantee of automatic employment for successful trainees who demonstrate strong competence in their chosen digital skills.
The facilitator of the programme, Dr. Ezenwa A. A. Onyirimba, disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu on Saturday, January 31, 2026. He explained that the initiative forms part of his efforts to empower youths from the Greater Awgu enclave with relevant digital skills for the global economy.
Dr. Onyirimba commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led APC-controlled Federal Government for approving what he described as a laudable programme for unemployed Nigerian youths. He noted that the initiative offers participants the opportunity to acquire modern digital skills required to thrive in today’s economy.
He also expressed gratitude to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr. Bosun Tijani, for approving the programme and supporting efforts aimed at expanding digital skills development among Nigerian youths.
At the initial orientation for the 300 selected youths held at the Hanef Event Centre, Oji River Local Government Area, on August 23, 2025, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Digital Bridge Institute, Dr. Daser David, was represented by the Head of the Enugu Campus, Engr. Daniel Chinagozie.
Engr. Chinagozie disclosed that the institute has the capacity to train and employ up to 50,000 Nigerian youths to compete in the global digital market. He noted that the training programme for the 300 graduates from the Greater Awgu enclave gives them the opportunity to be among the first beneficiaries.
He urged participants to make effective use of the training period to acquire digital competencies that would position them for the 50,000 digital job opportunities created by the institute’s foreign partners. According to him, “We are targeting at training and engaging 50,000 youths across Nigeria within the next two years. And our plan is to train them on skills like business process outsourcing skills because these are skills that our partners in the US and other countries have need for. We are training them on digital marketing, software development, cyber security so that they can work in our cyber security operation centres across the country nationwide.”
