The federal government through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has trained 33,692 unemployed Nigerians nationwide in various vocational skills under the Renewed Hope Employment
Initiative.
This was disclosed during the official resettlement exercise organised for the beneficiaries in Abuja yesterday.
Out of the 33,692 trained beneficiaries, 5,532 individuals have received startup loans and resettlement packages to establish their own businesses.
Speaking at the resettlement event in Abuja, the minister of state for labour and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said that the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises job creation, skills acquisition and poverty alleviation.
The minister called on private sector stakeholders, corporate organisations, and development partners to support the initiative, stressing that resettling all trained beneficiaries requires substantial financial resources.
LEADERSHIP reported that in December 2024, the federal government launched the job creation scheme with the expectation of providing opportunities for 93,731 unskilled and unemployed Nigerians.
According to the director-general of NDE, Silas Agara, since its launch, the initiative has trained 33,692 Nigerians, including youth, women and persons living with disabilities in vocational trades, entrepreneurship, business management, agriculture and public works.
Speaking at the event, Agara said, “The goal is to empower participants not only to become self-employed but also to become employers of labour, this marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to address unemployment and drive economic growth.
“As we launch this resettlement phase, we remain committed to providing ongoing support, we look forward to seeing these businesses grow and create employment opportunities for other Nigerians. I wish to assure beneficiaries who are receiving a life line today, that we are committed to supporting you every step of the way.
“We want you to use this opportunity given to you to establish yourselves in businesses that would engineer growth and drive economic development, let us work together to build a brighter future for our communities.”
The DG also expressed gratitude to government agencies, private organisations, and development partners who supported the initiative.
