The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has revealed that it trained 500 less privileged Nigerians under its Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP). In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NIHOTOUR’s Director-General, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, disclosed that the beneficiaries were selected from orphanage homes and local communities for the training.
The aim of the programme is to impart entrepreneurial skills to the participants, enabling them to become self-reliant and sustain themselves in life. Kangiwa emphasized that the participants would receive startup kits at the end of the training, providing them with the necessary resources to kickstart their businesses.
Since the launch of the STEP initiative last year, over 500 Nigerians have been trained, with efforts underway to double that number this year. Kangiwa highlighted the challenges faced in delivering training due to the absence of campuses in most cities, prompting NIHOTOUR to explore alternative methods such as the Mobile Training Kitchen.
The Mobile Training Kitchen, recently unveiled by NIHOTOUR, aims to advance trade and catering services in communities where campuses are not established. Kangiwa emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box to deliver mandates effectively, noting that the truck is capable of reaching remote areas efficiently.
He encouraged youths and women to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire skills that would benefit them in the future, emphasizing that the training is open to everyone willing to enroll in NIHOTOUR’s activities.
