FG targets five million Nigerians for poverty reduction through skills, AI

The Federal Government says it is targeting five million Nigerians for poverty reduction through skills acquisition, technology and entrepreneurship as it expands its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRDS) training and empowerment programme across the country.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE), Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this on Monday in Ibadan, Oyo State, at the commencement of the latest phase of the programme.

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Arogundade said the intervention was designed to equip Nigerians with practical and marketable skills while connecting them with opportunities that could provide sustainable sources of income.

She said the programme, which commenced in the Federal Capital Territory and is now being extended to states, was part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to reduce poverty by creating opportunities for Nigerians to become economically productive.

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“What we want to do, and what the President wants to do, is to move as many people out of poverty as possible,” Arogundade said.

She also explained that the initiative went beyond conventional training, as beneficiaries would also be exposed to organisations, businesses and other opportunities that could help them translate their newly acquired skills into income.

According to her, 200 participants are undergoing training in Oyo State, while 500 devices are being provided, bringing the number of people directly empowered under the current intervention to 700.

Arogundade said the impact of the programme was expected to extend beyond the direct beneficiaries through a multiplier effect, urging participants to share the knowledge and skills acquired with other members of their communities.

She said the Federal Government had set a target of moving five million people out of poverty within the next four years, with various ministries, departments and government offices collaborating to implement the programme across the states.

The 10-day training in Oyo State runs from Monday, September 28, to Friday, October 9, 2026.

Arogundade urged participants to attend all training sessions, take the programme seriously and continue to improve their skills after completing the intervention.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to see themselves as potential agents of change rather than merely recipients of government assistance.

“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 advised.

The programme also features training in artificial intelligence (AI), with the Principal Consultant of P4 Change Consultants and keynote speaker, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, stressing the growing importance of AI skills in the global economy.

Shonubi said countries such as the United States and China were making significant investments in AI and deploying the technology across sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture and automobile production.

She said exposing Nigerian youths to AI was therefore important, particularly as the technology continued to reshape workplaces and business processes.

Shonubi commended the Federal Government for investing in the upskilling of young Nigerians and emphasised the need for participants to understand the responsible and ethical use of AI.

According to her, the beneficiaries should be able to apply the knowledge acquired to their careers, build professional portfolios, establish businesses and improve their employability.

She said AI skills could open opportunities for self-employment while also making young Nigerians more competitive in an increasingly technology-driven labour market.

Shonubi called for the sustainability and expansion of AI training and awareness programmes, noting that many Nigerians were still unfamiliar with the technology and its responsible applications.

She advocated increased investment in AI education and awareness as Nigeria responds to rapid technological changes around the world.

One of the beneficiaries, Olaleye Idowu, a graphic designer and 400-level International Relations student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said the programme would help him upgrade his skills and deliver greater value to his clients.

Idowu said participants were introduced on the first day to the fundamentals of AI, including its applications, benefits and potential to improve efficiency.

He said he had previously planned to move fully into the technology sector and viewed the programme as an opportunity to begin developing skills required in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

Idowu expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, saying the training could help bridge the gap between the skills possessed by young Nigerians and those increasingly demanded by employers.

He said he hoped to become a professional AI prompt engineer within the next five years and eventually train and employ others as his career progressed.

Beyond technology, the empowerment programme is also providing participants with practical vocational skills, including makeup artistry.

A makeup artist and Chief Executive Officer of Chuchu’s Glamour, Rukayat Muhammad, one of the trainers, said participants were being trained in makeup techniques, product selection, sanitation and the fundamentals of professional makeup artistry.

Muhammad said 85 participants were expected to complete the training as certified makeup artists.
She added that beneficiaries would receive equipment and products to enable them to begin practising and developing their businesses after the training.

According to her, consistent practice and proper marketing could enable the beneficiaries to build successful businesses and earn sustainable incomes from makeup artistry.

She urged participants to pay close attention during the training and regard the knowledge and equipment provided as investments in their future.

Muhammad commended the Federal Government, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE and other officials involved in the initiative for supporting the programme.

She said the national programme would continue in other states, with applications for subsequent training programmes expected to be made available online.

She added that the skills offered would vary from state to state, depending on local needs and the structure of each programme.

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