President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of the skills acquisition programme launched by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to secure gainful employment.
The call was made in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the NASRDA skills development initiative, organised in partnership with Grassroots Bridge Builders (GBB), a Non-Governmental Organisation.
Speaking on behalf of the President, Mr Adewale Adeogun, Chairman of the Tinubu National Think Tank (TnT), stated that the project aligns with the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and forms part of its broader youth empowerment strategy.
The initiative aims to train 60,000 young Nigerians in life-enhancing vocational and technical skills.
“Many of our citizens remain unaware of some of the President’s initiatives due to lack of information or misinformation. The NASRDA/GBB project is designed to inform, educate and train NGOs, corporate bodies, religious organisations, and support group leaders, ensuring that millions are no longer left out,” Adeogun said.
“We urge Nigerians to actively participate in this programme and share ideas on how we can collectively lift at least 50 million people out of unemployment.”
He added that the Federal Government is engaging with private firms and government agencies to create employment opportunities for beneficiaries of the training.
“Once these youths complete their training through our platform, we will introduce them to ministries, agencies, parastatals, and industries for possible employment,” he assured.
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The Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju, described Nigerian youths as intelligent, industrious, and creative, noting that the government is committed to equipping them with the skills necessary for self-reliance and national development.
“We can leverage space science and technology to empower young people to thrive within their communities,” he said.
Dr Adepoju also revealed that the agency had already commenced a pilot phase of the training focused on mast installation and telecom infrastructure management, with over 60 youths participating.
He emphasised that the expanded programme would reach various sectors and span all states and local government areas, where the majority of Nigeria’s youth population resides.
Dr Haruna Mohammed, Technical Adviser to the Director-General, stated that the profiling of participants is currently ongoing.
“The initial pilot involved over 60 participants. We are now scaling up, and as part of our preparations, we are collecting data and planning nationwide implementation,” he said.
“For this next phase, we are proposing to train 5,000 youths and have received requests from several ministries to extend training to 60,000 young Nigerians.”
Mohammed added that training will cover 27 different skills, including artistry, carpentry, and painting.
Mr Ibrahim Igoche, Chief Executive Officer of GBB, called on other NGOs to partner with the government in equipping Nigerian youths with skills as a means of reducing poverty across the country.
