Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has introduced a comprehensive skills acquisition initiative aimed at equipping young people with practical skills to foster self-reliance and attract employment, particularly from technology-driven industries.
The state’s Commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Patience Fakai, made this known during the quarterly ministerial briefing on Wednesday at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.
According to Fakai, the initiative includes the establishment of three skills acquisition centres located in Soba, Rigachikun, and Samaru Kataf across the state’s three senatorial zones. These centres are expected to train 12,000 youths in the first year and scale up to 24,000 in the second year across 13 vocational areas, including welding, aluminium fabrication, fashion design, and solar panel installation.
“Our goal is to provide youths with certifications through a partnership with the National Board for Technical Education,” she explained. “This will enhance their employability and enable many to become self-sufficient or be recruited by established firms.”
She also revealed plans to transform Kaduna’s Panteka Market into a modern industrial hub. Over 38,000 artisans operating in the market will benefit from the National Skills Qualification Framework certification, alongside the provision of upgraded infrastructure such as ICT facilities, road networks, a clinic, and a fire station.
Fakai highlighted the ministry’s collaboration with Jobberman and the Mastercard Foundation to host Career Fairs, connecting over 300 job seekers with potential employers. Job Centres have also been established in both northern and southern parts of the state to assist youths with job applications, CV writing, and career guidance.
Additionally, she noted that 5,100 women have been trained in ICT through the AREWA LADIES-4-TECH initiative, in partnership with Data Science Nigeria and Google.org. Over 60 of these participants have secured jobs across various sectors.
UNICEF has also trained 500 children under state-supported initiatives, providing them with starter kits. Furthermore, 22 at-risk children in conflict with the law have received training in shoemaking and barbering.
Kaduna State has also hosted the Nigeria Computer Society Summit to promote ICT innovation and earned national recognition for its efforts to boost broadband access, including an Award of Excellence from the National Broadband Alliance of Nigeria.
The commissioner added that the state was one of three to receive a special commendation from the Gates Foundation for progress in artificial intelligence. Kaduna has launched AI and digital literacy content in Hausa to promote inclusive technology access.
“These efforts underscore our commitment to human capital development. We are confident that these initiatives will empower our youth and accelerate economic growth in Kaduna State,” Fakai concluded.
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