Shettima Flags Off NASENI Skills Programme For Kano Youths, Women

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday flagged off the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure’s (NASENI) Community Empowerment Initiative in Science, Technology, Skills Acquisition and Renewable Energy in Kano State, saying the programme will equip youths and women with practical skills to drive entrepreneurship, job creation and economic growth.

Represented by his Personal Assistant on Subnational Infrastructure, Musaddiq Adamu, the Vice President said the initiative aligns with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places youth empowerment, innovation and economic development at the centre of national policy.

He said the programme, which would be replicated across the six geopolitical zones, was designed to create opportunities for young Nigerians by providing them with practical skills and tools to build sustainable livelihoods.

“Today, NASENI is opening one of those doors,” Adamu said, adding that Nigerian youths were already making meaningful contributions to national development and only required the right platforms to unlock their full potential.

He described the initiative as an investment in Nigeria’s future workforce and urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by applying the knowledge gained to establish businesses and create employment.

Adamu also commended NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman, Khalil Halilu, for repositioning the agency through practical interventions focused on technology, innovation and human capital development.

Earlier, Halilu said the empowerment programme reflected NASENI’s commitment to developing both technology and the skilled workforce needed to drive Nigeria’s industrialisation.

He said the agency was focused on equipping youths and women with practical skills capable of generating employment, strengthening local economies and accelerating innovation.

“Real industrialisation begins with skilled people. That is why we do more than build technology; we build the people who will create it, use it, improve it and commercialise it,” Halilu said.

He explained that Kano was selected for the pilot because of its long-standing reputation as a hub for commerce, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

According to him, participants will receive training in renewable energy technologies, welding and fabrication, mobile phone hardware repairs, food processing and packaging, as well as other vocational and technical skills tailored to enhance employability and business development.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who was represented at the event, described the initiative as part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to tackle unemployment through skills development and technology-driven enterprise.

He urged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the programme, noting that emerging technologies would play a critical role in Nigeria’s industrial transformation and long-term economic growth.