The Federal Government has graduated 700 young Nigerians from a skills-development programme in Oyo State, equipping participants with training in artificial intelligence (AI), fashion design, makeup artistry and digital enterprise as part of efforts to address unemployment and reduce poverty.
The graduation ceremony was held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Kensington Adebutu Hall, University of Ibadan, marking the conclusion of a 10-day intensive training programme that commenced on September 28.
The initiative was implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE).
The programme forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader ambition to lift five million Nigerians out of poverty over four years by expanding access to practical skills, entrepreneurial opportunities and resources for sustainable livelihoods.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr Abiola Arogundade, said the initiative was designed to give young people the skills and tools needed to build independent sources of income rather than depend solely on temporary assistance.
According to the programme organisers, the training covered three principal areas: graphics design and artificial intelligence, makeup artistry, and fashion design.
Thirty participants received specialised training in AI and graphics design, while 85 were trained in makeup artistry and another 85 in fashion design. The remaining beneficiaries participated in other aspects of the empowerment programme, including the distribution of digital devices.
Organisers said 500 participants received digital devices, while practical starter equipment—including laptops, sewing machines, makeup kits and tablets—was provided to help beneficiaries apply their newly acquired skills.
The equipment is intended to support participants in establishing small businesses, offering digital services and pursuing self-employment opportunities. However, the long-term success of the intervention will depend on whether beneficiaries can secure customers, access working capital and sustain their businesses beyond the initial training period.
The programme comes as Nigeria continues to confront the challenge of creating productive employment for a large and youthful population. Skills development is increasingly viewed as an important component of economic policy, particularly as businesses adopt digital tools and employers seek workers with specialised technical capabilities.
AI training, in particular, could expose young Nigerians to emerging opportunities in digital services, content production, automation and other technology-related fields. Vocational skills, meanwhile, can provide routes into self-employment and small-scale enterprise where formal employment opportunities are limited.
At the ceremony, beneficiary Olaleye Idowu, a 400-level International Relations student at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said the AI and graphics design training introduced him to the fundamentals of the technology and its potential applications. He expressed hope of developing a career in AI prompt engineering.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, also commended the initiative, describing it as a useful intervention in efforts to tackle unemployment and poverty.
The Oyo exercise is part of a wider programme expected to extend across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. OSSAP-TVEE said subsequent phases would target 1,200 participants each, with training tailored to the economic opportunities and needs of different regions.
While the graduation marks an important milestone for the beneficiaries, the broader test for the government will be whether the programme translates into sustained employment, viable businesses and measurable improvements in household incomes.
The number of participants trained is one indicator of progress; the number who go on to earn stable incomes and create additional jobs will be a more meaningful measure of its lasting impact.