The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has announced a ₦113 million TVET Facilities Upgrade Grant aimed at modernizing 14 Technical and Vocational Education and Training centers across the Niger Delta. The grant focuses on improving infrastructure, training delivery, and the long-term sustainability of institutions offering skills in ICT, Building Construction, Agriculture, and Services.
The selected centers are located in Aba in Abia State, Warri in Delta State, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, and Asaba in Delta State. These hubs serve thousands of young people who are preparing for employment and enterprise opportunities. According to the foundation, the investment is designed to boost youth skills and support economic growth in communities that need practical job paths.
Speaking at the launch event, Sam Ogbemi Daibo, Executive Director of PIND Foundation, highlighted the broader value of the intervention. He said, “We are not just upgrading equipment; we are upgrading futures. This investment ensures that TVET centers can train more young people with skills demanded by today’s industries. When we strengthen institutions that train youth, we strengthen livelihoods, businesses, and the future of the Niger Delta.”
Beneficiary operators at the event welcomed the gesture, noting the impact it will bring to their training systems. A representative of a Port Harcourt-based hub stated, “This grant will allow us to modernize our workshops and increase the number of youths we train annually. For many young people, skills training is access to dignity, income, and independence. PIND’s support brings us closer to that reality.”
The program will run from September 2025 to February 2026 and is expected to directly serve more than 10,000 unemployed youth by equipping them with market-relevant skills. PIND says the upgrade will strengthen job and enterprise linkages, making it easier for graduates to secure opportunities.
As part of the launch, a strategy workshop was held with government agencies, private sector players, and development partners. Discussions focused on how to make the TVET sector more resilient, commercially viable, and better positioned to support local industries.
PIND’s new funding builds on its 2022 investment of over ₦80 million, which upgraded three TVET centers in the region and improved ICT and technical learning facilities. That earlier project increased enrollment and raised training quality for hundreds of young people, and the new ₦113 million commitment extends the foundation’s push for youth empowerment and innovation in the Niger Delta.
