Vice President Kashim Shettima has flagged off a nationwide community empowerment programme in science, technology, skills acquisition, and renewable energy for youths and women, a programme championed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in Kano State.
The programme, which will commence on July 27, 2026, will see over 160 participants trained in solar installation and maintenance, mobile phone hardware repairs, electrical appliances and electronics repairs and maintenance across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Shettima, represented by the Personal Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Subnational Infrastructure, Office of the Vice President, Musaddiq Mustapha Adamu, praised NASENI for implementing one of the key priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on job creation and equipping Nigerians with entrepreneurial skills.
He said: “Today, NASENI is opening one of those doors. And I want you—every young person in this room—to walk through it with everything you have. To the young men and women here today, learn and apply what you’ve learnt. The government is not doing you a favour. It is making an investment in you because it believes the return is worth it. Do not prove that belief wrong.”
On his part, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, represented by the Director-General, Services Office, Dr. Ibrahim Abdulkadir, said the programmes are designed to promote innovations for human capital development, engender inclusive economic growth leveraging technology-driven intervention, equip women and youths with relevant skills, and expand entrepreneurship opportunities through digital learning.
Senator Akume, who reemphasized the federal government’s commitment to job creation and skills acquisition, commended NASENI for the laudable initiative, and promised to give all the necessary support for any programme designed to advance Nigerian youths through innovations and entrepreneurship, for a knowledge-driven economy.
He urged the participants to use the potential benefits of the acquisition training programmes to improve their lives, reduce redundancy, and ultimately improve their standard of living.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said participants would receive practical training in renewable energy, welding and fabrication, mobile phone hardware repairs, food processing and packaging, and other skills that respond to today’s economy.
He said NASENI is also supporting schools with laptops and STEM innovation kits because innovation starts early. “We must encourage our children to become creators of technology, not just consumers of it.
“To our beneficiaries, I have a simple message. Take this opportunity seriously; the future belongs to people with skills. The knowledge you gain here can create businesses, support families, employ others, and contribute to Nigeria’s industrial growth,” Halilu added.
There were goodwill messages from the Kano State Governor, Abba Ibrahim, represented by the state Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Yusuf Ismaila Danmaraya; Chairman, Nigerian Commodity Exchange, Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar; National Programme Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Baba; Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano, Hon. Sa’adatu Salisu Yusha’u; and Dr. Gwani Farouk.Umar, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, Kano.
