No fewer than 250 youths in Akwa Ibom State have been trained in high-demand, market-driven skills under a free empowerment programme sponsored by the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and organised by Wedgewood Integrated Investment Limited.
The three-week programme focused on practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills aimed at boosting employability and reducing youth unemployment amid prevailing economic challenges.
The training covered five key areas critical to sustainable livelihoods: fashion and garment making, graphics design and content development with social media marketing, solar installation, GSM/mobile phone repair and maintenance, and business skills with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Managing Director of Wedgewood Integrated Investment Limited, Mr Emmanuel Arome Sanni, said the initiative was designed following a careful assessment of market realities and gaps in conventional empowerment programmes.
“We redefined business for the participants as the ability to exchange skills for monetary value, and that mindset change is the real secret behind the success of this programme,” Sanni said.
He explained that beyond technical training, participants underwent reorientation sessions on customer service, sales and marketing, emotional intelligence, mentorship, apprenticeship, and business sustainability to prepare them for real-world challenges.
According to him, many empowerment initiatives fail because they focus solely on skills acquisition without teaching beneficiaries how to build and sustain viable businesses.
Sanni added that Wedgewood and its partners would continue to support the trainees through mentorship, follow-up programmes, and tracking mechanisms, noting that class governors and committed participants had been identified for continuous engagement.
“With over 15 years’ experience running similar programmes, we have systems in place to track participants’ growth, monitor equipment usage, and ensure that these skills translate into sustainable income,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Umo Ekanem described the programme as transformative, noting that it provided both technical knowledge and business direction.
“The programme was a light to us; it reshaped our thinking and improved the way we approach our businesses,” Ekanem said.
Ekanem, who trained in solar panel installation, described the sessions as intensive but rewarding, adding that the hands-on exposure boosted his confidence to work independently.
Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Mr John Barigha said the board was committed to empowering youths through practical skills rather than short-term handouts.
“We are not giving you fish; we are teaching you how to fish. What we have given you today is the net, and it is left for you to go into the sea and make meaningful use of it,” Barigha told the trainees.
He urged beneficiaries to utilise the starter packs judiciously to grow their businesses and warned against selling the equipment, stressing that NCDMB had made significant investments to ensure the programme’s success.
As part of the programme’s conclusion, starter packs were distributed across the various skill areas to support immediate entry into self-employment and business expansion.
A total of 72 business scaling kits comprising tablets with keypads, mouse, and pen were distributed, alongside 67 portable sewing machines with mini sewing kits for fashion trainees, 57 mini laptops for graphics design, content creation, and digital marketing, 19 GSM/mobile phone repair toolkits, and 35 solar installation toolkits, marking a significant step toward sustainable youth empowerment in Akwa Ibom State.
