The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kaduna office, has provided starter packs and soft loans to 553 youths and women who recently completed vocational training in various skills.
The initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, which aims to reduce unemployment by empowering 93,731 unskilled and jobless Nigerians.
Hajiya Halima Waziri, the NDE State Coordinator, explained that the programme offers training in vocational skills, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, alongside temporary public works jobs.
“Kaduna State received 2,613 slots, ensuring at least 10 beneficiaries per ward, including persons with special needs,” Waziri stated.
She added that 1,253 individuals participated in the latest training cycle, with 850 men and 403 women receiving instruction in fields such as digital marketing, catering, and fashion design.
Waziri highlighted that the first phase had already provided 160 beneficiaries with starter packs, while 393 others would receive theirs in the second phase.
Director-General of the NDE, Silas Agara, represented by Deputy Director of Vocational Skills Development Offia Obinna, emphasised that the initiative is built on three pillars: skills development, resettlement, and job creation. He noted that the programme had trained 33,692 unemployed persons, including women and individuals with disabilities.
Agara also confirmed that 5,532 beneficiaries nationwide would receive loans and starter packs to help them establish their own businesses.
Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the opportunity. Malam Nasir Muhammad, a person with a disability trained in mobile phone repairs, praised the inclusivity of the initiative. Similarly, Asabe Dogo, a nursing mother who trained in catering, said the scheme had transformed her life.
“I can now bake cakes, bread, and prepare small chops. Thanks to this starter pack, I will start commercial production,” Dogo said.
