The Federal Government has revealed that more than 60 per cent of graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes are either gaining employment or establishing their own businesses across Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Sampson Ebimaro, during a one-day workshop on the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) held on Monday in Birnin Kebbi.
The event, organised by the ministry, aimed to review progress on the government’s strategy to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade.
Ebimaro, represented by Mrs Ayinde-Yakubu Olasumbo, Director of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department, stated that NPRGS is being executed through four core pillars: macroeconomic stabilisation, industrialisation, trade and growth, and redistributive programmes.
“In alignment with these goals, the programme has been strategically implemented through five critical components,” he noted.
These components include the Agriculture for Food and Job Programme (AFJP), which supports smallholder farmers with inputs, training, and finance; the TVET programme, which equips youth with employable skills; rural road construction to enhance market access; productivity improvement for MSMEs; and training and skill acquisition for sustainable livelihoods.
Ebimaro said field evaluation reports indicate a 25 to 30 per cent increase in crop yields, over 60 per cent employment or entrepreneurship among TVET graduates, and improvements in rural road infrastructure.
“These have significantly boosted economic activities and access to essential services,” he added, noting that the workshop aimed to validate and build upon the evaluation findings.
He encouraged stakeholders to provide open, analytical, and forward-thinking contributions to ensure the NPRGS remains impactful and inclusive.
Ebimaro reaffirmed government’s commitment to inclusive growth, job creation, and national prosperity.
Earlier, Mr Gomina Mohammed, Head of Evaluation at the ministry, explained that the workshop was crucial for assessing the impact, efficiency, and sustainability of the programme’s interventions on beneficiaries and communities.
(NAN)