The Founder of Push Africa, Doris Egberamen, has said the organisation’s vision is to train and empower 2 million Nigerians and Africans with industry and market skills. She made this statement on Saturday in Abuja during the inaugural graduation ceremony of the Push Africa Healthcare Assistant Training Programme, Class of 2024/2025.
According to The Guardian, the programme organised by Push Africa in partnership with the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, graduated over 100 healthcare assistants. Egberamen explained that the efforts of her organisation to tackle unemployment and poverty in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa are driven by a passion to create a clearer pathway for graduates. She said Push Africa’s mission is to innovate, initiate, and implement labour market skill training in healthcare, tech, media, and agriculture.
Speaking to the graduating students, Egberamen urged them to approach their new career paths with discipline, empathy, and professionalism. She stressed that the healthcare sector demands technical competence combined with strong ethical values. The Founder encouraged them to see the programme not as the end of their journey but as the beginning of a progressive career path with vast opportunities for growth both locally and internationally.
She reminded the graduates that the skills they acquired are globally relevant and urged them to remain focused, seek continuous improvement, and uphold the highest standards of care in their practice. She added that their dedication would help them thrive in a sector where quality of service matters greatly.
In his remarks, the President of AUST, Professor Azikiwe Onwualu, said the university enjoys a 100 per cent employment record for its postgraduate alumni. He noted that Nigeria’s industrial workforce has become skewed as universities produce more degree holders than technicians and artisans needed in practical fields. To correct this gap, he explained that AUST has broadened its focus to include technical and vocational education and training, setting up an innovation hub on campus to equip students with hands-on industry skills.
“Every graduate of this university is either employed before graduation or immediately after,” he said, adding that the institution is determined to replicate the same success at undergraduate and vocational levels. Onwualu outlined the significant transformation taking place at AUST, including its expanding academic vision and rising global relevance.
He urged the graduands to make the most of their new skills by embracing innovation and positioning themselves as globally competitive professionals. According to him, the training they received is recognised internationally and provides a strong base for them to contribute to the healthcare sector within and outside Nigeria.
Professor Onwualu encouraged them to stay curious, keep advancing their knowledge, and pursue opportunities for further education, including routes that could lead to full nursing and other health-related programmes as the university grows its offerings. He added that their success would not only help their careers but also showcase the impact of AUST’s commitment to producing skilled graduates capable of addressing Africa’s development needs.
Medical Directors from Abuja hospitals and officials from the Federal Ministry of Youth Development attended the event, adding further weight to the milestone celebration.
