The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has empowered 70 youths in Lagos with practical vocational skills and business starter packs, as part of efforts to promote local content development, youth entrepreneurship and job creation.
The beneficiaries were trained in eco-packaging and paper bag production as well as fashion designing under a skills acquisition and youth empowerment programme sponsored by the Federal Government agency.
Speaking at the certificate and starter pack presentation ceremony held in Surulere, Lagos, the Project Coordinator, Musa Rasaq, said the initiative was designed to equip young Nigerians with income-generating skills that would enable them to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
According to him, the eco-packaging and paper bag training was a two-week intensive programme that equipped 20 participants with hands-on knowledge in paper bag design and production, while the fashion designing programme lasted eight weeks and trained 50 participants.
Rasaq explained that participants were selected through community-based channels, including local publications, religious institutions and community leaders, to ensure inclusiveness and grassroots participation. He added that the board had also put post-training support structures in place to ensure sustainability.
“The main sponsor of this programme is the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board. The goal is to promote local content. After the training, whatever the beneficiaries produce can be uploaded on designated digital platforms to attract customers and business opportunities,” he said.
He disclosed that the initiative, which began last year, was currently in its second edition and forms part of NCDMB’s broader strategy to tackle youth unemployment through vocational skills development and entrepreneurship support.
Some of the beneficiaries described the programme as impactful and life-changing.
A participant in the fashion design programme, Tijani Yusuf, said the training covered both theoretical and practical aspects of sewing, including the use of different machines, fabrics and designs.
“For those of us with no prior knowledge of sewing, we were taught from scratch. The clothes I am wearing today were sewn by me as part of our project assignment,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Odukoya Omotoyosi, a recent graduate of the University of Lagos, said the programme had given her the confidence to start her own business.
“Within two months, I learned how to make dresses, corporate outfits and caps. Instead of waiting endlessly for a job, I now have the skills to start my own business,” she said, adding that participants also received transportation stipends and meals during the training.
A participant in the eco-packaging programme, Akindeji Olakunle, said the training exposed him to new opportunities in sustainable packaging and practical skills that could provide a steady source of income.
Beneficiaries called on the Federal Government and the NCDMB to expand the programme to reach more young Nigerians, noting that many youths are eager to acquire vocational skills if given the opportunity.
