Federal Government to train and empower 200 Oyo youths with vocational skills, laptops, makeup kits, sewing machines and other start-up tools.
The Federal Government is set to empower 200 youths in Oyo State with practical, marketable skills and start-up tools under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS).
The training is being implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) and will run from September 28 to October 9, 2026.
The Oyo programme is part of the Federal Government’s expansion of the NPRGS across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Each participating state in the initial phase will host 200 trainees, bringing the number of beneficiaries under the current nationwide rollout to 1,200 youths.
According to Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, Dr. Abiola Arogundade, the Oyo training will focus on three areas: Graphics/Artificial Intelligence (AI), Makeup and Fashion Designing.
Participants will receive complete training kits to help them transition from skills acquisition to entrepreneurship after the programme.
Those undergoing Graphics/AI training will receive laptops, while Makeup trainees will receive fully equipped makeup kits. Fashion Designing trainees will receive sewing machines and starter kits.
The Oyo training will run daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for two weeks and will culminate in a graduation and grand finale on October 9.
As part of the Federal Government’s broader digital empowerment initiative, 500 tablets are also expected to be distributed to young Nigerians during the grand finale.
The NPRGS expansion follows an earlier pilot programme launched in Abuja in June 2025, which offered training in areas including cybersecurity, web development and solar energy installation. The Abuja phase attracted more than 7,000 applications, according to the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE.
The Federal Government said the programme is designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills, promote entrepreneurship and self-reliance, reduce unemployment and underemployment, and expand access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The initiative is expected to be replicated in other states as the Federal Government expands the NPRGS across the six geopolitical zones.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.
