The Federal Government has announced plans to lift five million young Nigerians out of poverty through skills acquisition and empowerment programmes designed to promote sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative, being implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), seeks to equip young Nigerians with practical and market relevant skills to improve their employability and economic independence.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP TVEE), Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this on Monday in Ibadan at the commencement of the Oyo State phase of the programme.

The Oyo State training, which runs from September 28 to October 9, is focused on Graphics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), makeup artistry and fashion designing.

A total of 200 young Nigerians are participating in the training, with 30 undergoing training in Graphics and AI, while 85 participants each are being trained in makeup artistry and fashion designing.

Arogundade said the programme, which began in the Federal Capital Territory, would be extended to other states and geopolitical zones across the country.

She explained that the initiative was not limited to skills acquisition, as beneficiaries would also be connected with organisations and business opportunities to support their transition into sustainable livelihoods.

“So with this programme, we are training 200 people. We will also be distributing 500 tablets during the grand finale of the programme as part of the Federal Government’s digital empowerment drive.

“We are directly empowering 700 people in this programme and there will be multiplier effect.

“We are not just training them for themselves but we are training them for their communities, for the population, and for all the states in Nigeria,” she said.

The presidential aide urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity and use the skills acquired to create opportunities for themselves and others in their communities.

She reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to expanding access to technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education as a means of promoting economic self reliance among young Nigerians.

Earlier, the keynote speaker for the Graphics and AI training, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, said the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence presented Nigeria with opportunities to accelerate development, improve employability and prepare young people for emerging jobs.

One of the beneficiaries, Idowu Olalere, a 400 level student of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), commended the Federal Government for creating opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire emerging digital skills.

Olalere said the training would help bridge the gap between existing skills and the changing demands of the labour market.

Other beneficiaries, including Mrs Iyabo Ajayi, a makeup trainee, and Fatunbi Joshua, a fashion designing trainee, also expressed appreciation for the opportunity, saying the initiative could help reduce unemployment by equipping young people with practical skills for self employment.

At the end of the training, participants are expected to receive laptops, sewing machines and fully equipped makeup kits to support their entrepreneurial pursuits and establishment of sustainable businesses.

The programme is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to promote inclusive economic growth, reduce poverty and expand economic opportunities for young Nigerians through technical and vocational education.