Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has approved ₦810 million in take-off grants for 4,050 graduates of the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development to support tools, seed capital and employment opportunities.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has approved ₦810 million in skills development support for 4,050 graduates of the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development, providing each beneficiary with ₦200,000 to support their transition into employment and entrepreneurship.
Sani announced the intervention on Thursday, August 27, 2026, during the maiden graduation ceremony of the institute held at the Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa Campus in Rigachikun, Kaduna State.
The grant will be administered through the Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency (KADSEDA) and is designed to help graduates purchase essential work tools and obtain seed capital for their initial business activities.
According to the governor, beneficiaries may also use the funds for professional registration, transportation and other immediate needs as they pursue employment and income-generating opportunities.
Sani said the state government was engaging companies and industries to create direct employment, apprenticeship, internship and mentorship opportunities for the graduates.
He added that the administration was pursuing subcontracting arrangements and other structured partnerships designed to connect skilled graduates with relevant industries.
“We are also developing a digital platform to connect graduates with employers and track employment outcomes,” the governor said.
He explained that the impact of the programme would be measured through indicators including jobs created, businesses established, increased incomes, contracts secured and improvements recorded in beneficiary communities.
The governor said the graduates, having obtained National Skills Qualification Level II, represented a new generation of skilled and productive citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to Kaduna’s economy.
He said his administration was working to build an ecosystem that would enable young people to become self-reliant while empowering women to transform acquired vocational skills into sustainable businesses.
Sani also said the programme was being designed to ensure that persons living with disabilities and artisans were not excluded from economic opportunities.
The Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development operates three campuses in Rigachikun, Soba and Samaru Kataf, serving communities across the state.
The governor said the institute was established to provide practical skills that are relevant to Kaduna’s economy, competitive nationally and adaptable to global opportunities.
Training combines practical and theoretical instruction with literacy, numeracy, entrepreneurship and soft skills across a broad range of vocational disciplines.
The trades include electrical installation, welding and fabrication, aluminium fabrication, computer hardware repairs, catering and hospitality, masonry, refrigeration and air conditioning, fashion design and garment making.
Others include carpentry and joinery, painting and decoration, tiling, plumbing, solar installation and automotive mechatronics.
Sani said the institute’s partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) ensures that its programmes are aligned with National Occupational Standards.
The partnership also enables successful trainees to obtain National Skills Qualifications under the Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework.
The governor stressed that training across the three campuses remained tuition-free, with particular attention given to women, persons with disabilities and underserved communities.
He said the administration had also inaugurated the Kaduna State Council on Skills, which he chairs, to strengthen coordination and policy direction for skills acquisition and development in the state.
Sani further disclosed that Kaduna trainee Ibrahim Jikamshi emerged first in welding and was named Overall Best Artisan of the Year at the 2026 National Construction Artisans Award.
He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the state’s skills development agenda, recalling that the President inaugurated the vocational training institutes in June 2025.
The governor said the Federal Government’s support reflected confidence in Kaduna’s young population and the state’s determination to convert their skills and potential into productive economic activity.
The ₦810 million intervention comes as Kaduna intensifies its emphasis on vocational training, entrepreneurship and industry-linked skills development as tools for reducing unemployment and expanding opportunities for young people.
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