The federal government through the Federal Ministry of Works has proposed to spend over ₦500 million on the training of hairdressers and make-up artists, the supply of grinding machines, motorcycles, mini-vans, and anti-drug abuse sensitisation programmes across selected states of the federation.
Details of the proposed expenditures are contained in the 2026 Appropriation Bill uploaded on the Budget Office website and accessed on Thursday.
Findings from the budget document show that the items and services are spread across different locations in the country’s geopolitical zones, with allocations listed as constituency-based projects under the ministry.
Under a budget item with code ERGP 12234747, the ministry proposed to spend ₦35 million on the supply of an unspecified number of grinding machines to women in Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency in the South-South zone.
Similarly, another ₦35 million was earmarked for the training and empowerment of women in hairdressing, make-up, and soap making in Mikang/Shandam/Qua’an Pan Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the North-Central zone.
The budget document also includes a proposal to spend ₦70 million on the empowerment and training of youths, women, and seven retirees in different skills, alongside the provision of trade equipment in the Inyamaltu/Deba area of Gombe State in the North-East.
In addition, the ministry plans to spend ₦70 million on the supply of mini pick-up vans, mini shuttle buses, and motorcycles to constituents in Abakaliki Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State, in the South-East.
There is also a proposal for training, sensitisation, advocacy, and empowerment of North-Central youths against drug abuse in Zamfara State, which is geographically located in the North-West, among several similar projects listed in the budget.
The inclusion of these empowerment items has raised questions over their placement under the Federal Ministry of Works, whose core mandate centres on road construction, rehabilitation, and infrastructure delivery.
Separately, the ministry has launched the President Tinubu Engineering Mentorship Programme, a nationwide technical training initiative for unemployed graduate engineers and skilled artisans. According to information released on the programme, it offers “hands-on field training, structured mentorship, and project-based exposure” through direct participation in ongoing Federal Ministry of Works infrastructure projects across Nigeria.
