Zaria: No fewer than 1,000 students of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, located in Zaria, Kaduna State, have been empowered with complimentary business skills and sanitary pads by El’s Empowerment Foundation, in collaboration with other partners. Malam Musa Aliyu, the Coordinator of the foundation, highlighted that the beneficiaries will also gain practical knowledge and resources to thrive in the businesses for which they are trained.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this innovative programme aims to boost employment generation, reduce poverty, and strengthen menstrual hygiene. Aliyu shared statistics indicating that over 300 tertiary institutions in the country produce more than 600,000 graduates annually, with only about 6,000 securing jobs in government agencies. This underscores the need for students to acquire practical and digital skills. The programme is designed to support the government’s Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Initiative.
Aliyu noted that 1,000 students would receive training in various skills, with many also obtaining starter packs. The foundation plans to monitor their progress for three months to ensure the initiative’s success. In addition to digital skills provided by a partner, students will learn modern bakery and shower gel production, among other skills. The foundation will also distribute free sanitary pads to female students to enhance menstrual hygiene.
Alhaji Abubakar Barde, CEO of ASB Data and a partner in the empowerment scheme, engaged the students on digital skills. He emphasized that students can balance their academic pursuits with business activities using smartphones and minimal capital, even starting businesses like data selling and digital communication with as little as N10,000.
Dr. Mohammed Kabir, the Rector of the polytechnic, praised the foundation and its partners for the programme, noting its alignment with the TVET programme. Represented by Malam Umar Hassan, Director of the School of Management Studies, the rector acknowledged that poverty, unemployment, and inequality are significant challenges in Nigeria and some African nations. He emphasized that the foundation’s efforts are crucial in reducing unemployment, empowering students to become entrepreneurs, and fostering societal peace and harmony.
