FG to Train 18,510 Nigerians Under Renewed Hope Vocational Skills Initiative

FG to Train 18,510 Nigerians Under Renewed Hope Vocational Skills Initiative
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  • FG to Train 18,510 Nigerians Under Renewed Hope Vocational Skills Initiative

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has described the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme (VSTP) as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital, reaffirming the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to empowering Nigerians with practical skills that create sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking at the launch of the programme at the Government Technical College, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, Dr. Doro said the initiative represents a major shift in the Federal Government’s approach to poverty reduction by placing greater emphasis on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and economic self-reliance.

“This programme is more than a training exercise; it is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are moving from palliatives to pathways by equipping Nigerians with practical skills that create opportunities, restore dignity, and build lasting prosperity,” the Minister said.

The programme according to a statement issued by the Minister’s Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr. Abimbola Fasanu,the minister said following the official flag-off of the programme in Abuja.a flagship initiative of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), will equip 18,510 beneficiaries across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills designed to improve employability and expand opportunities for self-employment.

Doro explained that the initiative forms part of the Ministry’s broader reform agenda under the One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), which seeks to eliminate fragmented interventions by integrating humanitarian assistance, social protection, and poverty reduction into a single coordinated national framework.

According to him, the Vocational and Skills Training Programme has been deliberately linked to the National Social Investment architecture to ensure that beneficiaries do not stop at skills acquisition but are connected to entrepreneurship opportunities, cooperative structures, and poverty graduation pathways that promote long-term economic independence.

The intensive two-week programme combines technical vocational training with entrepreneurship development, while every participant will receive a starter pack aligned with his or her chosen trade to facilitate immediate business start-up upon graduation.

Beneficiaries will receive training in 14 high-demand vocational trades, including Automobile Technology, Agric-Tech, Baking and Confectionery, Carpentry, Cooks and Catering, Electrical Installation, Housekeeping, Jewellery and Bead Making, Masonry, Plumbing, Welding, Sewing and Fashion Design, Grinding Operations, and Vulcanising.

Doro stressed that the true measure of the programme’s success would not be the number of certificates awarded but the number of sustainable livelihoods created.

“Our vision is to see today’s trainee become tomorrow’s entrepreneur, employer, and contributor to national development. This is how we will build resilience, reduce poverty, and create inclusive economic growth for Nigerians.”

The Minister commended the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), training providers, development partners, and private sector organisations supporting the initiative, urging them to ensure quality delivery, effective monitoring, and sustained post-training support for beneficiaries.

He reaffirmed that the Ministry would continue to champion reforms that empower vulnerable Nigerians through coordinated interventions, practical skills development, and sustainable livelihood opportunities in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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Customs Unveils 3,852 Successful Recruits, Adopts Annual Employment Exercise The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the release of the final list of 3,852 successful candidates for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise and unveiled plans to institutionalise annual recruitment to ensure continuous manpower renewal. Speaking at a press briefing, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the successful applicants were selected across three entry cadres, with 1,275 recruited into the Superintendent Cadre, 367 into the Inspectorate Cadre, and 2,210 into the Customs Assistant Cadre. Adeniyi said the publication of the final list marks the successful conclusion of the recruitment exercise, which commenced in December 2024. He apologised for the delay in completing the exercise, attributing it to the unprecedented number of applications received and the Service’s determination to conduct a transparent, credible and merit-driven recruitment process. According to the Customs boss, the Service received 573,680 applications for just 3,852 available positions, making the exercise one of the most competitive in the agency’s history. He explained that all applications underwent rigorous screening procedures, including computer-based examinations, verification of credentials against the National Identity database, and additional checks where inconsistencies were detected. He noted that candidates who made the final list would still undergo physical and medical examinations before receiving final approval from the Nigeria Customs Service Board. Adeniyi disclosed that the overall success rate was 0.67 per cent, meaning only one out of every 148 applicants secured a place in the exercise. Breaking down the figures, he said the Superintendent Cadre attracted 276,995 applications for 1,275 vacancies, representing one successful applicant out of every 217 candidates. The Inspectorate Cadre recorded 128,604 applications for 367 positions, making it the most competitive category with one successful candidate for every 350 applicants, while the Customs Assistant Cadre received 168,081 applications for 2,210 vacancies, translating to one successful applicant for every 76 candidates. He encouraged unsuccessful applicants not to be discouraged, stressing that many met the required qualifications but could not be accommodated because of the limited vacancies and intense competition. The Comptroller-General said the recruitment reflected the Federal Character principle, with all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory represented. Each state was allocated 105 slots, comprising 35 positions in the Superintendent Cadre, 10 in the Inspectorate Cadre and 60 in the Customs Assistant Cadre, while the FCT received 72 slots under the approved allocation formula. On gender representation, Adeniyi revealed that women accounted for 839 successful candidates, representing 21.8 per cent of the total intake, slightly higher than their 21.2 per cent share of the total applications received. He added that female applicants recorded a marginally higher success rate than their male counterparts, particularly in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to encouraging greater female participation in future recruitment, especially in operational and enforcement roles. According to him, the exercise also produced a youthful workforce, with a median age of 26 years and nearly three-quarters of the successful candidates below the age of 30. He said the youthful intake would strengthen the Service’s capacity to embrace modern customs administration driven by technology, data analytics and automated risk management. Adeniyi further announced that the Nigeria Customs Service would now conduct recruitment exercises annually instead of waiting several years between recruitment cycles. He disclosed that the 2026 recruitment exercise would commence later this year, expressing confidence that future recruitment would be completed within a single calendar year, from advertisement to the publication of the final list. According to him, the digital systems, screening architecture and verification processes developed during the current exercise would significantly shorten future recruitment timelines. He explained that the annual recruitment policy would enable the Service to plan its workforce more effectively, promptly replace retiring personnel and provide qualified Nigerians with predictable employment opportunities. The Comptroller-General advised successful candidates to rely only on official Nigeria Customs Service communication channels for further instructions, reiterating that recruitment into the Service remains completely free. He urged members of the public to report anyone demanding money in exchange for employment, describing such individuals as fraudsters. Congratulating the successful candidates, Adeniyi reminded them that they earned their positions through a rigorous and highly competitive process and urged them to uphold the professionalism, discipline and integrity expected of officers of the Nigeria Customs Service. He also assured unsuccessful applicants that another opportunity would be available later this year under the newly introduced annual recruitment programme.

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FG’s Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians With Practical Skills For Self-Reliance

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