FG, World Bank Deepen Youth Skills Drive, Launch Six-Month Agricultural Training In Nasarawa

The Federal Government and the World Bank have renewed their commitment to equipping Nigerian youths with practical skills capable of improving their employment prospects and promoting entrepreneurship.

The commitment was reaffirmed on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, in Gora, Nasarawa State, during the commencement of a six-month skills acquisition programme under the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project.

The programme is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank, with CSS Global Integrated Farms providing training in areas including crop production and animal husbandry.

Chairman of CSS Global Integrated Farms, Prof. John-Kennedy Opara, represented by the Training Manager, Victor Umunakwe, said the programme was structured to combine classroom instruction with practical training.

He urged the beneficiaries to remain punctual, disciplined and committed, stressing that the training was designed to produce more than certificate holders.

According to him, participants are expected to acquire practical and entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to secure employment, establish businesses and contribute to Nigeria’s food security and economic growth.

Opara said the programme would also help address the gap between academic qualifications and the practical competencies demanded by employers.

Speaking on behalf of the National Project Coordinator of the IDEAS Project, Mrs Blessing Ogwu, Mrs Susan Ekoja said the initiative had recorded significant progress in strengthening technical and vocational education and training across Nigeria.

She said the project had invested in infrastructure, equipment and human capacity development, adding that about 4,000 technical teachers and instructors had been trained, while approximately 80,000 Nigerians had been reached through various training service providers.

Ekoja urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously by attending training sessions regularly, participating actively, asking questions and putting the knowledge acquired into practice.

She disclosed that trainees must maintain at least 65 per cent monthly attendance to qualify for the N30,000 stipend provided under the programme.

Some beneficiaries, including Falaye Funmilola and Idris Adamu, expressed appreciation for the opportunity, saying the training was providing them with useful knowledge and practical skills.

CSS Global Integrated Farms said its continued focus on agribusiness, animal husbandry and modern agricultural practices had contributed to its growing role in youth skills development.

The organisers said the partnership between the Federal Government and the World Bank was aimed at sustaining practical skills development programmes that can strengthen youth employability, entrepreneurship and Nigeria’s agricultural sector.