The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced registration of unemployed youths in Kaduna under the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, a Federal Government programme aimed at reducing unemployment and empowering citizens.
According to the NDE State Coordinator in Kaduna, Francis Ambianto, no fewer than 21,782 youths are expected to benefit from the initiative. He made this known during a press briefing on Monday.
He explained that the registration, which started on Monday, would continue until August 11, 2025, and is open to all categories of unemployed individuals regardless of their educational background.
“Skilled acquisition does not have barriers. Whether you are a graduate, school dropout, or never attended school, you are eligible,” he said.
Ambianto encouraged interested youths between the ages of 18 and 40 to register online via www.nderegistrationportal.ng or www.nde.gov.ng.
He noted that selected beneficiaries would be trained under several programmes, including Rural Employment Promotion (REP), which offers agricultural training in areas such as poultry, fishery, irrigation, and animal fattening.
Other programmes include Vocational Skills Development (VSD), which provides training in trades such as fashion design and catering, as well as Special Public Works (SPW) and Small Scale Enterprise (SSE).
Participants in these programmes would undergo three months of training and receive a monthly transport stipend of N10,000. Ambianto added that 70 per cent of participants would be eligible for soft loans upon completion of their training.
He also revealed two additional schemes for graduates: the Graduate Coaching Scheme, which trains graduates to coach secondary school students preparing for final examinations; and the Graduate Attachment Programme, which places graduates in relevant organisations for temporary work experience.
Beneficiaries under these graduate programmes would receive monthly stipends of N50,000 for a duration of three months.
Ambianto said over 600 youths in Kaduna State were expected to benefit from the scheme and urged them to take advantage of the opportunity.
He added that the list of beneficiaries would be drawn from a central portal managed by NDE Headquarters in Abuja, and selection would be based strictly on merit.
“The first phase worked excellently. People were admitted without knowing anyone in the system. We are confident this second phase will be even more transparent and inclusive,” he said.
(NAN)