The Federal Government, in partnership with Conclase Consulting Limited, will train 50,000 young Nigerians in digital technology, creative industries and vocational skills across seven North-West states.
The 18-week programme will be implemented by Conclase, through its subsidiary, StacStart, in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara.
The programme will cover 186 local government areas, the company said in a statement at the weekend.
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The training will combine technical instruction with employability development, mentorship and certification.
Participants will also have access to internship and job placement opportunities aimed at helping them secure employment or establish businesses.
Applicants will undergo registration and screening before successful candidates progress through foundational, intermediate and advanced learning levels.
The curriculum will cover artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, software engineering, data analytics, user interface and user experience design, 3D animation, content creation, social media management and graphic design.
The statement added that participants will also be trained in fashion design, culinary arts and food production.
The initiative targets 50 per cent female participation and will include young people who are not in employment, education or training, as well as persons with disabilities.
Chief Executive Officer of Conclase Consulting and StacStart, Adeposi Bamiduro, said the programme was designed to connect skills training with employment and business opportunities.
"Digital skills are only truly valuable when they create opportunities. Our focus is not simply to train young people, but to equip them with practical skills, connect them to opportunities, and help them turn what they have learned into sustainable careers and livelihoods. That is the essence of Skills-to-Jobs," Bamiduro said.
Programme Director, Abudu Damilola, also explained that the initiative would focus on helping participants turn their training into economic opportunities.
"At Conclase, we believe that skills development becomes truly impactful when it is connected to opportunity. Our responsibility is not simply to train 50,000 young people, but to build a system that helps them translate those skills into meaningful livelihoods," Damilola said.
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The programme is part of the Federal Government's Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises initiative, known as iDICE.
Conclase Consulting and StacStart will implement it in the North-West.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in the statement also highlighted the economic potential of Nigeria's workforce through the government's "Hire from Nigeria" initiative.
"Through 'Hire from Nigeria', we are positioning one of our greatest national assets, our people, at the centre of our economic engagement with the world," Idris said.
