Nestlé Nigeria Plc has rounded off the 15th anniversary celebration of its Technical Training Initiative with a cumulative investment of over N6bn directed towards youth empowerment, vocational mastery and technical skill development in the country.
The milestone was marked alongside the graduation of 20 new trainees from the Abaji Factory Technical Training Centre, a development that follows a similar graduation ceremony held recently at the company’s Flowergate Factory in Sagamu.
The initiative, according to a press statement by Nestle Nigeria Plc on Tuesday, has grown to encapsulate three major industrial hubs, including the pioneer centre in Agbara, established in 2011, and has successfully equipped a total of 309 young Nigerians with intensive engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria, Wassim Elhusseini, expressed deep satisfaction with the long-term impact of the scheme, characterising it as a baseline asset for the corporate environment and host communities.
He said, “Over the past 15 years, we have seen firsthand how this pipeline of talent has strengthened our operations, built critical capabilities within the industry, and created meaningful pathways for young people to thrive.”
He further challenged the new professionals to aggressively deploy their newly acquired competencies to navigate the shifting demands of the industrial sector.
“As you graduate today, you are stepping into an industry that depends on skill, discipline, innovation, and excellence. The skills you have gained through this programme provide a strong foundation, but your success will depend on your willingness to keep learning, adapting, and applying yourselves. Do not be discouraged by the challenges ahead,” he added.
The 18-month curriculum blends theoretical classroom knowledge with practical hands-on experience in food technology, engineering and manufacturing operations. It culminates in the internationally recognised City and Guilds of London Technicians’ Certification, bridging the critical capability gap between conventional tertiary institutions and the concrete requirements of modern industrial complexes.
Shedding light on the corporate absorption rate of the scheme, the Country Human Resource Manager, Nestlé Nigeria, Shakiru Lawal, highlighted that youth development at Nestlé remains an institutionalised strategy to build a self-sustaining talent pool for the manufacturing sector.
“At Nestlé, youth development is not a one-off intervention; it is a long-term commitment to building skills, expanding opportunity, and preparing young people for the future of work. The Nestlé Technical Training Centre, which has grown from Agbara to Abaji and Flowergate, has proved to be a talent pipeline for our business and the wider manufacturing sector,” Lawal stated.
He further noted that the initiative boasts an impressive employment placement metric, with 98 per cent of Technical Training Centre graduates directly transitioning into full-time roles within the organisation.
The Abaji graduation cohort achieved a balanced gender ratio of 10 young men and 10 young women, drawing praise from international observers regarding inclusion in technical fields.
The Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, His Excellency Mr Patrick Egloff, commended the organisation for ensuring equal opportunities across gender lines within a historically male-dominated field.
“One of the most inspiring aspects of today’s ceremony is the clear demonstration that technical excellence belongs equally to young women and young men. The equal representation we see among the graduates today is a powerful message about inclusion, opportunity, and the future of technical professionals,” Egloff said.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to sustaining its institutional partnership with Nestlé Nigeria to ensure the sustainability of technical skills initiatives.
The Technical Training Initiative operates as an integral arm of “Nestlé Needs YOUth”, a global initiative rolled out in 2013 aimed at extending economic and skill opportunities to 10 million young people worldwide by 2030.
