The Borno State Government has empowered 2,970 graduates of TVET vocational training programmes with a ₦2 billion starter-pack initiative designed to help them launch small businesses and build sustainable livelihoods.
The empowerment ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Muna Vocational Enterprises Institute (MVEI) in Maiduguri, where Governor Babagana Umara Zulum personally distributed business enterprise kits and equipment to the beneficiaries.
The initiative targets young people who completed skills training across the state’s modern vocational institutes. By providing them with tools and starter packs, the government aims to ensure the graduates can immediately begin work in their chosen trades instead of struggling to raise capital.
Beneficiaries were selected from nine modern vocational training institutes located across the three senatorial districts of Borno State.
The institutes provide training in high-demand technical and artisan skills such as information and communication technology (ICT), plumbing, construction, tailoring, welding and other practical trades that support small business creation.
Governor Zulum said the initiative is part of his administration’s broader plan to reduce unemployment, especially among youths affected by the long-running Boko Haram insurgency.
“One of the cardinal priorities of this administration has been youth empowerment and the protection of vulnerable members of our society,” Zulum said during the ceremony.
“We remain mindful of the devastating effects of insurgency on our communities, which disrupted livelihoods, increased unemployment and exposed many to economic hardship.”
According to the governor, the ₦2 billion starter-pack support will enable the trained graduates to establish businesses within their communities and become economically independent.
“This made it imperative for the government to implement sustainable interventions aimed at restoring dignity, creating opportunities and rebuilding productive capacity,” he added.
The empowerment programme forms part of Borno State’s long-term strategy to rebuild its economy and provide meaningful opportunities for young people following years of insecurity.
Since assuming office in 2019, Zulum said his administration has made significant investments in technical and vocational education across the state.
He revealed that the government has established five vocational enterprise institutes in Muna, Mafa, Biu, Shani and Magumeri to expand access to practical skills training.
Beyond these institutions, the government has also reactivated nine vocational training centres that had previously become inactive due to years of conflict and underfunding.
In addition, three second-chance schools dedicated to skills and entrepreneurship training for women and girls have been established in the southern senatorial district.
These schools are designed to support women and young girls who missed formal education opportunities but still need practical skills to become financially independent.
According to the governor, the vocational training institutes are structured to prioritise vulnerable individuals, particularly those whose livelihoods were affected by insurgency.
The training programmes are designed to equip participants with both technical expertise and entrepreneurial knowledge that can help them start and manage businesses.
“I am pleased to state that this administration has invested over ₦40 billion in the establishment, rehabilitation and equipping of vocational enterprise institutes, vocational training centres and technical colleges across Borno State,” Zulum stated.
He explained that the investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is central to rebuilding Borno’s human capital and promoting self-reliance among its youth population.
The governor also stressed that empowering young people with skills and business tools is a key strategy for reducing poverty and improving economic stability across communities.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, said the programme demonstrates the administration’s commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of supporting the state’s long-term development.
“This initiative reflects the unwavering commitment of His Excellency to empowering youths with practical, employable and entrepreneurial skills necessary for sustainable livelihoods,” Wakilbe said.
He added that the vocational institutes established by the state government are helping thousands of young people acquire practical skills that can immediately translate into income-generating activities.
The ₦2 billion starter-pack distribution represents one of the largest direct post-training empowerment programmes implemented by the Borno State Government in recent years.
