The Federal Government has distributed sewing machines, laptops, make-up kits and other business equipment to youths in Oyo State to support business start-ups and promote self-employment following their participation in a vocational and digital skills training programme.
The intervention involved 700 youths trained under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, which aims to reach five million Nigerians over the next four years through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship development and other poverty reduction measures.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this on Friday during the graduation ceremony held at Kensington Adebutu Hall, University of Ibadan.
She said the programme was designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills and the tools needed to establish businesses and achieve financial independence.
“Mr President believes that our young people do not simply need assistance. They need opportunity. They need skills. They need the tools to compete and build sustainable livelihoods. And that is what today represents,” Arogundade said.
The training programme ran from September 28 to October 9, 2026, and covered different vocational and digital skills intended to prepare participants for economic opportunities.
According to Arogundade, 30 participants received specialised training in artificial intelligence and graphics design, while 85 were trained in make-up artistry and another 85 in fashion design.
She added that 500 participants would receive digital devices to support their participation in the expanding digital economy.
The equipment provided to beneficiaries included laptops, sewing machines, make-up kits and digital tablets, depending on their respective areas of specialisation.
Arogundade urged the graduates to put the equipment to productive use by establishing businesses and extending the benefits of their training to other members of their communities.
“What you receive today is not the destination. It is the beginning. Take the skills you have learnt. Take the tools you have received, and build something with them,” she said.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to share their knowledge with others, noting that the programme could have a wider impact if graduates trained people in their communities.
“Don’t use it as a one-man solution or one-man empowerment. There’s a multiplier effect. Train your neighbours, train your community people, and also continue to impact and learn more,” she added.
The keynote speaker, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, who is a principal consultant, highlighted the importance of digital skills, particularly artificial intelligence, as major economies increasingly integrate the technology into manufacturing, agriculture and other sectors.
She noted that countries such as the United States and China were investing heavily in AI applications, stressing the need for young Nigerians to acquire relevant skills to remain competitive.
Also speaking, the make-up artistry instructor, Rukayat Muhammad, said the training could provide beneficiaries with opportunities to become financially independent if they developed their skills and marketed their services effectively.
“Make-up artistry remains a marketable vocation, and beneficiaries can build successful businesses if they develop their skills and effectively market themselves,” she said.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Sharafadeen Alli, urged the beneficiaries to use the equipment and skills acquired to establish viable businesses and create employment opportunities.
“The training and equipment provided are not just gifts; they are tools to build sustainable businesses, achieve financial independence and create employment for others,” Alli said.
One of the beneficiaries, Olaleye Idowu, a 400-level International Relations student at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said the AI and graphics design training had introduced him to the fundamentals of the technology and its potential applications.
“The training introduced us to the fundamentals of AI, its applications, and its potential to make work more efficient,” he said.
Dignitaries at the ceremony included the senator representing Oyo Central, Yunus Akintunde; the Oyo State APC Women Leader and Tinubu Torch Bearers coordinator, Dr Adekemi Opatunde; and the South-West Federal Constituency coordinator, Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo.
