NCDMB recognises practical skills as key to making young Nigerians productive, financially independent — Engr. Abayomi, Director
Oredola Adeola
Jake Riley Limited, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), has graduated and empowered 250 young Nigerians with start-up kits after training them in renewable energy, creative arts, hospitality, digital services, textile production, electrical works, and mobile phone repair.
This was the major highlight of the graduation and starter pack distribution ceremony of the NCDMB Lagos Youth Skills Vocational Training Programme, organised by the Head of JR Academy in Lagos on Monday.
Engr. Bamidele Abayomi, Director of Capacity Building at NCDMB who was represented at the ceremony, in his remark, said the Board recognises high-value, self-reliance skills as critical to making young Nigerians productive and impactful.
He noted that beyond formal academic certificates, practical skills, handwork, and crafts are essential for human development and economic growth in Nigeria, as they provide individuals with financial security and independence.
According to him, the acquisition of a new skill offers immediate income opportunities, stressing that participants who take the training seriously can earn sustainable daily income, far above conventional entry-level wages.
Engr. Abayomi explained that the provision of starter packs to all graduands was guided by the philosophy that training alone does not build a business without the necessary tools.
The NCDMB’s Director therefore cautioned beneficiaries against selling the starter packs, warning that anyone who does so would be “trading their future,” and urged them instead to use the equipment to deepen their skills and build viable livelihoods.
He further observed that earnings from skilled handwork often surpass fixed monthly salaries, adding that opportunities in vocational and technical fields are limitless for those who remain committed.
The Director of Capacity Building at NCDMB further encouraged the graduands to appreciate the support of the Federal Government through the NCDMB, while reaffirming the Board’s continued commitment to youth capacity-building programmes, particularly in engineering and technical fields that create pathways into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Mrs. Funmi Ogbue, Chief Executive Officer of Jake Riley Limited, in her remarks, described the training as a major milestone not only for Nigeria’s local content development agenda but also for the youth empowerment vision consistently championed by the NCDMB.
She said the programme was built on the understanding that Nigeria’s greatest resource lies not in crude oil, but in the talent, creativity, and potential of its young people, noting that NCDMB’s investment in the initiative represents a strategic investment in the nation’s future prosperity.
Quoting President Bola Tinubu, Mrs. Ogbue recalled his declaration that Nigerian youths would not be left on the margins of national development, stressing that the commitment to youth empowerment “is not political, but personal.”
She further cited the President’s charge to young Nigerians to “build boldly, innovate courageously, and scale fearlessly,” adding that the message directly applies to all the graduands.
According to her, the Jake Riley Academy deliberately committed to delivering more than routine training, promising participants market-ready, deployable skills capable of generating income from day one—a commitment she said had been fulfilled with the successful completion of the programme and issuance of certificates.
Mrs. Ogbue referenced Engr. Felix Ogbe, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, as having consistently emphasised that the Board’s philosophy is not to offer handouts, but to equip beneficiaries with the tools required for sustainable livelihoods.
She therefore urged the graduands to recognise that they had received capability, not charity, and that how far they go would depend on how effectively they deploy the tools provided.
She explained that the 250 participants were selected through a rigorous and transparent process, involving demand-driven surveys, eligibility verification, document screening, and aptitude assessments, to identify young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 with genuine commitment to vocational skills and entrepreneurship.
On the structure of the programme, Mrs. Ogbue said participants underwent intensive, hands-on training in business development and scaling, digital marketing and social media, financial literacy and savings, and customer service excellence, alongside technical specialisations in Solar PV installation, fashion design and garment making, catering and food business, digital skills and freelancing, textile design and Adire making, electrical installation, and GSM and phone repair.
She cautioned that skills alone do not guarantee success, stressing that commitment to excellence is what truly sets individuals apart.
Drawing from global and local examples, the CEO of Jake Riley Limited noted that excellence opens doors regardless of background, and that many successful Nigerians built lasting enterprises by combining skills with vision, perseverance, and continuous learning.
Mrs. Ogbue therefore commended Engr. Abayomi, Director of Capacity Building at NCDMB, for his vision, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to practical, market-relevant capacity building, describing him as a champion of skills development whose leadership made the programme possible.
She also praised the ES of NCDMB for creating an enabling environment that supports transformative human capital development initiatives.
Ogbue therefore encouraged the graduands to see the ceremony not as the end of learning but the beginning, encouraging them to start immediately, pursue excellence relentlessly, think beyond themselves, and remain connected with one another.
Reiterating President Tinubu’s assurance that success in Nigeria now depends on talent, discipline, creativity, and courage rather than privileged access, Jake Riley’s CEO charged the graduands to apply the skills acquired with confidence and purpose.
