The Federal Government has encouraged Nigerians, especially women and young people, to embrace vocational training and skills acquisition as a way to reduce unemployment, poverty and economic hardship in the country.
The call was made during the graduation ceremony of 50 women who completed a vocational and entrepreneurship training programme organised by FirstBank in partnership with the African Projects Development Centre (APDC) in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Representing the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Saratu Salawu said acquiring practical skills has become very important in today’s economy because it gives people the opportunity to become financially independent and contribute positively to society.
According to her, many Nigerians can improve their standard of living if they learn productive skills instead of waiting for white-collar jobs that are becoming increasingly limited.
She advised the graduates not to depend on others for survival but to make good use of the training they received.
Salawu said the programme should inspire the women to start small businesses, support their families and create employment opportunities for others in their communities.
Also speaking at the event, Nkechi Mathew, who represented the pioneer Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, praised the initiative and described it as proof that Nigerian women are capable of contributing significantly to economic growth when given the right support and opportunities.
The training programme, known as the “You First Fashionistas Training Programme,” was launched by FirstBank and APDC to equip women with practical skills in fashion design, hair styling and makeup artistry.
The initiative was designed to address youth unemployment and promote entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s growing fashion and beauty industry.
The programme began on September 16, 2025, and is expected to continue until December 18, 2026, before ending with a major fashion fair in 2027 where participants will showcase their products and services.
FirstBank explained that the programme is focused on helping women become financially independent through income-generating activities.
The bank noted that some beneficiaries had already started producing clothes and other fashion items for commercial purposes even before completing the programme.
According to the bank, the project is aimed at turning participants into employers and business owners instead of job seekers.
FirstBank further revealed that the partnership with APDC plans to empower about 200 women within one year through four different batches consisting of 50 participants each.
The bank described the initiative as part of its commitment to sustainable economic development and impactful corporate social responsibility programmes across Nigeria.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Managing Director of APDC, Chiji Ojukwu, said the organisation established its vocational and entrepreneurship programmes to help tackle the growing problem of youth and women unemployment in the country.
He disclosed that APDC had trained nearly 10,000 youths in different sectors over the last eight years.
According to him, the fashion and beauty programme alone has empowered close to 500 women through nine separate training batches.
Ojukwu added that APDC started with agricultural training programmes but now operates about 15 empowerment initiatives with support from financial institutions and development partners.
He also announced plans to organise a fashion fair where trainees would have the opportunity to meet investors, attract customers and expand their businesses.
