Initiative
Conclase Consulting Ltd. says plans are ongoing to train 50,000 youths across seven states in North-West Nigeria, through its subsidiary, StacStart, under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme of the Federal Government.
This is announced in a statement made available to the News Agency of of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday by the firm’s Communications and Public Relations Manager, StacStart for the iDICE Project, Mr Adamson Victor.
The programme covers Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara, reaching young people across 186 local government areas in the region.
This initiative is aimed at equipping participants with digital, creative and vocational skills to improve their employability, promote entrepreneurship and expand access to economic opportunities.
The iDICE, coordinated by the Bank of Industry (BOI), in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), is being piloted in the Northwest.
Victor explained that successful applicants would undergo an 18-week training programme covering foundational, intermediate and advanced learning levels.
The training areas, he said, included artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, software engineering, and data analytics.
Other areas are user interface and user experience design, 3D animation, content creation, social media management, graphic design, fashion design, culinary arts and food production.
The public relations manager said the programme would provide employability training, mentorship and certification, alongside internship and job placement opportunities to help participants apply their skills in the workplace and establish businesses.
According to him, the programme will target 50 per cent female participation and include young people not in employment, education or training, as well as persons with disabilities.
On his part, Adeposi Bamiduro, Chief Executive Officer of Conclase Consulting and StacStart, said the initiative was designed to connect skills acquisition with employment and sustainable livelihoods.
“Digital skills are only truly valuable when they create opportunities.
“Our focus is not simply to train young people, but to equip them with practical skills, connect them to opportunities, and help them turn what they have learned into sustainable careers and livelihoods.
“That is the essence of Skills-to-Jobs,” Bamiduro said.
Also, Abudu Damilola, Programme Director, said the initiative was intended to link skills development with meaningful economic outcomes.
“Our responsibility is not simply to train 50,000 young people, but to build a system that helps them translate those skills into meaningful livelihoods,” Damilola said.
Victor said the programme aligned with Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen human capital development, expand the digital economy and improve the competitiveness of Nigerian talent in local and international markets.
He added that the initiative was expected to expand access to digital and creative skills in the Northwest and support employment and enterprise development.(NAN)
