By Sjuara Sherif
Five hundred young Nigerians will get free vocational and entrepreneurial training under a new pilot by the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
BOI Managing Director/CEO Dr. Olasupo Olusi, who called young Nigerians “our greatest economic asset” and insisted the pilot is “much more than just a training programme” — it connects young people to skills, mentorship, and real opportunities.
Unveiled at the ministry’s Abuja headquarters, the BOI Youth Empowerment Pilot will be delivered by Sapphital — an Abuja-based, AI-powered digital learning firm — through the Nigerian Youth Academy.
Trainees will take short, instructor-led video courses picked for income potential and market demand, covering creative and artisan skills, production and manufacturing, and digital skills.
Beyond the classroom, selected participants will get mentorship, practical exposure, and enterprise support to help them start and sustain businesses.
Youth Development Minister Ayodele Olawande said the initiative reflects President Tinubu’s belief that youth empowerment and training are core pillars of national reform: “A nation succeeds when its young population is globally competitive.”
According to Olusi, the partnership is building a model that can be scaled across Nigeria in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
