As Nigeria marked her 66th Independence Anniversary, Dr. Ali Onoja and his wife, Pastor Sheila Onoja, brought together dignitaries and stakeholders from diverse sectors of society for the flag-off of a major financial self-reliance and skills acquisition programme designed to equip Nigerians with practical and employable technical skills.
The initiative seeks to train 100 Nigerians in computer hardware repairs and another 100 in cellphone repairs across each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 7,400.
The flag-off ceremony was performed by the National Coordinator of the IDEAS-TVET Initiative, who represented the Federal Ministry of Education and the Honourable Minister of Education.
The programme is being implemented under the IDEAS Project of the Federal Ministry of Education, with support from the World Bank, in collaboration with Ubelle Nigeria Limited and Alpha Research Development Centre Limited.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Ali Onoja described the initiative as a practical response to the urgent need to equip Nigerians, particularly young people, with relevant technical skills capable of creating sustainable livelihoods and promoting economic self-reliance.
According to him, the significance of the initiative extends beyond conventional vocational training, as it seeks to establish a clear pathway from skills acquisition to economic empowerment and sustainable employment.
“Nigeria is celebrating her independence today, and we are also celebrating another form of independence—the financial independence of Nigerians. For us, this is a great day because independence should translate into the capacity of our people to become productive, self-reliant and economically empowered,” Dr. Onoja said.
He explained that the programme had been deliberately structured to ensure that beneficiaries receive not only quality technical training but also opportunities to transition directly into the workplace.
Dr. Onoja disclosed that the best-performing participants would be offered automatic employment opportunities with Ubelle Nigeria Limited and Fabsi Waters, thereby establishing a direct link between skills acquisition, competence and employment.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government would provide monthly stipends to all participants throughout the six-month training period to enable them to remain committed to the programme while meeting their basic needs.
“We do not want the beneficiaries to undergo training and return to the streets without opportunities. The objective is to build a complete ecosystem where training leads to competence, competence leads to opportunity, and opportunity leads to sustainable income,” he said.
The initiative is expected to contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), expand access to practical skills and address unemployment through sustainable, skills-based economic empowerment.
The collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education, the World Bank-supported IDEAS Project, Ubelle Nigeria Limited and Alpha Research Development Centre Limited is also expected to expose beneficiaries to contemporary technical practices and employment opportunities within the digital technology and electronics repair ecosystem.
Dr. Onoja expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, the World Bank and the collaborating organisations for supporting an initiative that places human capital development and economic empowerment at the centre of national development.
“Today reminds us that the true meaning of independence is not simply freedom from colonial rule. It is also the freedom to earn a decent living, acquire a valuable skill, build a business, secure employment and contribute meaningfully to society. When Nigerians become financially independent, the nation becomes stronger,” he added.
The presence of Pastor Sheila Onoja, alongside other distinguished guests and stakeholders, underscored the importance attached to the initiative and its anticipated impact on beneficiaries across the country.
As Nigeria celebrated 66 years of independence, the flag-off offered a symbolic convergence of national independence and individual economic empowerment, with thousands of Nigerians set to benefit from a structured six-month pathway towards technical skills, employment and financial self-reliance.
