...... Beneficiaries receive ₦30,000 monthly stipends, while training providers get ₦300,000 per trainee for six-month training delivery
By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has enrolled more than 124,000 Nigerians in vocational and technical skills training across the country under its Innovation Development and Effectiveness in Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project.
The initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented through the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at strengthening the country's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, addressing skills shortages and promoting employment and entrepreneurship.
The National Project Monitoring Officer for TVET and IDEAS in the Office of the Minister of Education, Olatunji Odewunmi, disclosed this during a monitoring and assessment visit to selected training centres in Lagos State.
The centres visited were Elegant Twins Institute of Cosmetology, Surulere, and Federal Technical College, Yaba, where the monitoring team assessed training delivery, institutional performance and beneficiaries' progress.
Odewunmi said the participation of over 124,000 Nigerians reflected the Federal Government's commitment to expanding access to practical skills acquisition and developing a competent workforce for national economic growth.
He disclosed that Lagos State alone had approximately 128 TVET centres providing opportunities for Nigerians to acquire vocational and technical skills.
On the financial benefits, he explained that each trainee receives a monthly stipend of ₦30,000 throughout the six-month training period, while training providers receive ₦50,000 monthly per beneficiary, amounting to ₦300,000 for each trainee.
He added that beneficiaries were also entitled to start-up packs to enable them to establish businesses and apply the skills acquired during training, noting that some participants had already started receiving the support.
According to him, the programme would reduce dependence on foreign artisans, address critical skills gaps and equip Nigerians with the competencies needed for employment and entrepreneurship.
He emphasised that regular monitoring was necessary to ensure participating institutions maintained required standards and delivered quality training in line with programme objectives.
At Federal Technical College, Yaba, the IDEAS Project Manager, Abimbola Oyedeji, said the intervention, which began about five years ago, had contributed to increased student enrolment and improved practical training.
She listed the vocational areas covered to include blocklaying and concreting, tiling, woodwork, auto body building, computer craft and catering, alongside competencies in furniture making, carpentry, automobile mechanics, ICT and robotics engineering.
Oyedeji commended the Federal Government for supporting technical education and strengthening the institution's capacity to provide industry-relevant training.
Similarly, the Centre Manager of Elegant Twins Institute of Cosmetology, Kunle Oladunjoye, disclosed that the institution was selected to train 75 beneficiaries in beauty and cosmetology.
He said the selection process involved interviews and verification of applicants' information, adding that qualified instructors with relevant industry experience were engaged to deliver the training.
Oladunjoye said the beneficiaries had made encouraging progress and were acquiring practical skills to establish businesses in the beauty industry. He also commended the government for meeting its financial obligations to the centre and providing monthly stipends for trainees.
The institute's founder, Elizabeth Adebisi Oshisoya, described the programme as an important opportunity to expand access to professional vocational training, expressing appreciation to the Federal Government for supporting skills development and economic self-reliance.
Some beneficiaries at the institute, including Abdulhakeem Shamsudeen, Omotosho Okwemi and Boma Messe-Britz, commended the initiative, saying they had acquired practical skills in areas such as makeup, hairdressing, nail technology and spa services.
At Federal Technical College, Yaba, beneficiaries also expressed satisfaction with the programme.
Leo Uzoma said access to free training and equipment had improved his practical learning, while Oni Oluwada highlighted the knowledge gained in electrical installation.
Another beneficiary, Adebayo Mowufin Oluwada, said the training had strengthened her understanding of electrical installation and would support her ambition to pursue a career in electrical engineering.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the monitoring exercise was part of efforts to ensure accountability, improve institutional performance and guarantee that investments in technical and vocational education deliver measurable benefits.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the IDEAS Project through increased investment, quality assurance and institutional capacity development to produce a skilled workforce capable of supporting Nigeria's economic transformation.