If Nigeria is to thrive in this fourth industrial age, it must rely on youths who can channel their productivity and interest towards more growth. Sen. Teslim Kolawole Folarin, the former Chairman of the Local Content Committee in the 9^th Senate has commended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for fostering such endeavour by training 500 youths in Oyo State on solar power installation and maintenance.

The training programme, conducted in the state capital Ibadan was organised as part of the Board’s empowerment and human capacity-building initiatives targeting the young and energetic and it lasted six months. Sen. Folarin, who represented Oyo Central Senatorial District gave the commendation on Tuesday when he participated in the close-out ceremony of the training held at Ibadan. He lauded the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote for his dedication to growing Local Content and building youth capacity around the country, noting that “If we have about 10 Simbi’s in Nigeria, our country will be a better place”.

Sen. Folarin requested the Board to continually engage the youths with more training and contract opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

At the event was a keynote address that was delivered by Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu, the Director, Planning, Research, and Statistics at the NCDMB, who said the Board initiated the programme to create job opportunities in the country, generate wealth, and empower the youths to contribute meaningfully to the economy of the nation. He noted that technology, skill acquisition in trades, and agriculture are some of the high-impact economic sectors.

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In addition, Halilu said solar power installation and maintenance training provided an alternative source of power at homes and offices to support the national power grid, as well as providing job opportunities for the youths. He further disclosed that as part of the end-to-end planning for the programme, the Board had concluded arrangements to register cooperative societies for the group as well as provide shops where they would practice their trades.

According to Halilu, “The trainees will commence business as registration of cooperatives and the provision of shops in groups for the graduates has been done. This empowerment programme was aimed at providing lifelong support to youths.”

He implored Nigerian youths to take advantage of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), adding that the platform is used to select participants for human capacity-building interventions and job opportunities whenever they are available.

In her comments, the General Manager of the Corporate Communication and Zonal Coordination Division, Mrs. Angela Okoro gave an overview of the Board’s objectives and mandates, stating that the Board has trained over 16,000 semi-skilled and skilled youths across the country, in furtherance of its Human Capital Development initiatives.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.