As Nigeria contends with the realities of a rapidly growing youth population, education experts are calling for sustained investment in technical and vocational learning as a pathway to national development. Many believe that the Federal Government’s renewed focus on practical skills acquisition marks a critical step toward addressing youth unemployment and ensuring the country’s demographic potential becomes an advantage rather than a burden.
One of such initiatives is the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project- a World Bank–supported programme under the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across Nigeria.
The project officially kicked off its Creative Media Production training last week at Twim Institute, Ibadan, one of the accredited training service providers under the IDEAS TVET scheme.
Speaking at the flag-off, Olumide Adeleye, founder and CEO of Twim Institute, commended the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to vocational education, describing the initiative as “timely and forward-thinking.”
Adeleye, who has long been an advocate for skill-focused education as a solution to youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa, expressed delight that vocational education is receiving renewed national attention. He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, and the entire IDEAS TVET team for what he described as a “laudable and strategic” initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with employable skills.
