The Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), with Jake Riley Academy, has trained over 250 Lagos youths in high-demand, income-generating skills.
Speaking at the Lagos graduation on Monday, NCDMB representative, Mr John Barigha, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to sustainable youth empowerment through practical capacity building.
Barigha, who represented Executive Secretary, Mr Felix Omatsola-Ogbe, said the initiative targeted youth unemployment through long-term skills development.
“We are not giving you fish; we are teaching you how to fish.
“What we have given you today is the net. It is now left for you to make meaningful use of it,” Barigha said.
He urged beneficiaries to utilise their starter packs effectively, cautioning against selling the equipment provided.
Barigha stressed that the Board invested heavily to ensure the programme delivered lasting impact.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were selected across Lagos local governments and received hands-on training promoting entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
In her keynote address, Jake Riley Ltd. Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Funmi Ogbue, described the graduation as a defining moment for 250 young Nigerians.
She said the programme reflected NCDMB’s expanding role in local content development, with youth empowerment central to economic transformation.
“Today celebrates not just achievement, but a national vision positioning young people as drivers of Nigeria’s economic future,” Ogbue said.
Ogbue described the initiative as a strategic human capital investment aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s inclusive growth agenda.
She said the training prioritised market-ready skills capable of generating immediate income across growth sectors.
“What these graduands have received is not charity, but capability,” she said.
Ogbue noted that beneficiaries underwent transparent selection and intensive foundation training before advancing into seven specialised skill tracks.
She listed the areas as solar installation, fashion design, catering, digital freelancing, textile and Adire making, electrical installation and GSM phone repair.
“These skills were chosen to meet market demand and expand employment opportunities nationwide,” Ogbue added.
She commended NCDMB leadership, especially Director of Capacity Building, Mr Bamidele Abayomi, for championing demand-driven training.
Ogbue also praised trainers, facilitators and Jake Riley Academy for blending technical excellence with entrepreneurship.
She challenged graduates to pursue excellence, become employers and mentors, and deploy their certificates as “keys to opportunity”.
Speaking for beneficiaries, digital marketing trainee, Miss Grace Ateri, described the programme as transformative.
“The programme was intensive but rewarding. The practical exposure boosted our confidence to work independently,” Ateri said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Anuba Chidera, a solar installation trainee, described the training as life-changing with strong real-world focus.
NAN reports that participants included 162 digital skills trainees, 20 solar installers, 23 caterers, 22 fashion designers, and others in technical trades.
The event’s highlight was the distribution of starter packs, enabling graduates to immediately start or expand their businesses.
