Unemployment: GIZ, Abuja chamber train 1000 youth on vocational skills

The German development agency, GIZ, and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) have started the training of 1000 Nigerian youth on vocational skills as part of strategies to combat unemployment in the country. The start of the training also coincided with the launch of the GIZ BEST Centre ICT located with the ACCI […]

The German development agency, GIZ, and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) have started the training of 1000 Nigerian youth on vocational skills as part of strategies to combat unemployment in the country.

The start of the training also coincided with the launch of the GIZ BEST Centre ICT located with the ACCI Secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the President of the Abuja Chamber, Prince Adetokumbo Kayode, called on the federal government to a national skills policy to address unemployment in Nigeria.

He said the policy should mandate all youth to acquire a skill at minimum in addition to certificates obtained through formal education.

Prince Kayode said government alone cannot solve the problem of unemployment in Nigeria and the private sector needed to fill the gap.

The ACCI boss said the GIZ BEST Centre would be used to train young people on vocational skills, especially in the area of information and communication technologies.

The Head of Programme, Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYRE), Hans-Ludwig Bruns, said GIZ partnered with the ACCI on the training programmes because the private sector is better placed to create jobs.

He said in the next four years, GIZ will establish more centres across the country on vocational skills training for youth, with emphasize on females.