The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its dedication to human capacity development and sustainable economic growth in the Niger Delta region with the graduation of 100 youths who completed a six-month intensive training programme in Fashion Design. The ceremony, held on Monday, October 27, 2025, at J’s Signature Hotel, GRA, Port Harcourt, marked another step in the Commission’s empowerment drive aimed at creating wealth, reducing poverty, and addressing youth unemployment in the region.

In his welcome address, the Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Sir Victor Antai KJW, PhD, described the event as a milestone in the Commission’s human capital development agenda. He emphasised that the training aligns with NDDC’s vision of empowering young people with practical skills and tools for self-reliance.

“We are not only imparting skills that will make these trainees self-reliant and industrious,” Dr. Antai stated, “but we are also providing them with empowerment packages including an industrial sewing machine, a generating set, and a logistics token to enable them to establish or expand their tailoring businesses.”

He explained that the fashion design training, like other ongoing skill development initiatives, reflects the unwavering commitment of the Managing Director/CEO, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, PhD, and the NDDC Governing Board to ensuring that youths in the Niger Delta are equipped with the capacity to become financially independent and productive.

Dr. Antai recalled that in February 2025, the Commission had organised the graduation of 205 trainees under the Welding Training Phase 1, while Phases 2 and 3 of the programme are currently at different stages of implementation. He added that in September 2025, NDDC also graduated 300 trainees who gained technical skills in scaffolding, pipe-fitting, sandblasting, pipe-coating, and forklift operations.

He further highlighted the Commission’s multi-sectoral approach to youth and economic development. According to him, NDDC sponsored the 2nd Edition of the Port Harcourt Tech Expo in June 2025, where over 4,000 participants, both physical and virtual, engaged in exhibitions, hackathons, and discussions on technological innovation across key areas such as agriculture, education, finance, robotics, health, aviation, and security.

Dr. Antai also pointed to NDDC’s support for entrepreneurial and women-focused projects, including the Society for Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) Port Harcourt Branch entrepreneurship training, which trained over 180 women in financial and business management. He also mentioned the Commission’s partnership with TEDx Countdown Port Harcourt 2025, a climate-action event aimed at addressing environmental challenges through technology and policy innovation.

“These interventions are consistent with our mission of not merely providing financial handouts but building a foundation for lasting self-sufficiency and enterprise in the region,” he said. “This is not about giving handouts. We are teaching our people how to fish, not just giving them fish. The Commission remains committed to nurturing a generation of economically resilient Niger Delta youths.”

Dr. Antai commended the Directorate of Commercial and Industrial Development for the effective implementation of the programmes, assuring that the Commission will continue to pursue strategic partnerships, including the NDCCITMA initiative, to boost industrial growth and innovation in the region.

He described the graduates as “ambassadors of the NDDC,” urging them to uphold excellence, creativity, and professionalism in their chosen careers. “Go out and raise the banner of hope for our region,” he charged the trainees. “Let the world see, through your skills and achievements, what the NDDC is doing to transform lives and fulfil its mandate to the people of the Niger Delta.”

The event was attended by dignitaries, development partners, and family members of the beneficiaries, who commended the Commission’s continuous investment in youth empowerment, job creation, and human capital development across the Niger Delta.

The Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank has begun the training of 300 youths in fisheries, poultry, and animal husbandry under the IDEAS-TVET initiative, designed to boost food security and create jobs across Nigeria.

Flagging off the programme in Gora, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, described the initiative as “a significant step by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to engage youths in productive ventures that would enhance food security and reduce crime.”

Dr. Akabe explained that the training would not only increase agricultural output but also help discourage young people from engaging in activities that could promote insecurity and hinder national development.

Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills Project (IDEAS), Mrs. Blessing Ugwu, said the programme reflects the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to empower young Nigerians with relevant vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

Represented by the Head of Communication, Mr. Uche Mbaogu, Mrs. Ugwu encouraged participants to take advantage of the opportunity, noting that the initiative seeks to “address unemployment, promote innovation, and foster inclusive development across the country.”

Earlier, the Training Service Provider, Professor John Kennedy-Opara of CSS Integrated Farms, urged the beneficiaries to embrace the training with focus and determination. He said the project “will not only transform the lives of the participants but also enhance Nigeria’s image globally.”

The first batch of the training represents the beginning of a World Bank-supported effort aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training (TVET) system, equipping youths with practical skills to promote employment, self-reliance, and food production.

The Institute of Entrepreneurship and Vocational Training, Bayelsa State, in partnership with the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) Programme, University of Port Harcourt, with support from RUFORUM and the MasterCard Foundation, has launched a two-day intensive training for out-of-school youths on skills and wealth creation through rice and aquaculture value chains.

In his opening remarks, the Rector of the Institute, Dr. Zuobomudor Edwin Agbana, welcomed participants and described the training as “a gateway of opportunity for young people, particularly those outside formal education, to acquire practical, enterprise-driven skills.” He emphasized that agriculture represents “not just a means of survival but a pathway to prosperity.”

Dr. Agbana explained that through modules covering agronomic practices, integrated rice-fish systems, soil fertility management, and product development, participants would gain hands-on knowledge to establish wealth-building enterprises and add value across the rice production chain. He called on government, private sector actors, and development partners to sustain their support beyond the training, stressing that “collective effort is vital to building systems and structures that enable youth to grow into successful entrepreneurs.”

Delivering the keynote address, the TAGDev 2.0 Coordinator, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Ibisime Etela, reaffirmed the initiative’s commitment to inclusivity and equity, ensuring that women, displaced persons, and differently abled individuals are not left behind in the drive toward sustainable development. According to him, TAGDev 2.0 promotes gender-sensitive policies, mentorship programs for women in agriculture, and tailored learning opportunities for marginalized and displaced youth. He added that for differently-abled persons, the program emphasizes accessible training environments, adaptive learning tools, and equal participation in agribusiness innovation, “building an inclusive Africa where every individual can learn, lead, and contribute meaningfully to continental growth.”

In his goodwill message, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bayelsa State, Professor Bekes Sese, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hamilton Ekeke, noted that the TAGDev 2.0 programme aligns with the Bayelsa State Government’s ASSURED Prosperity Agenda, particularly its focus on agriculture and industrialization aimed at promoting food security, agribusiness expansion, and job creation. He urged participants to make the most of the opportunity, emphasizing that “the knowledge gained must translate into productivity and agro-based wealth creation for individual and collective benefit.”

The two-day training stands as a testament to Bayelsa’s growing commitment to youth empowerment, enterprise development, and agricultural transformation through strategic partnerships.