The Federal Government has commenced the third cohort of its Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS-TVET) training programme in Kogi State, with more than 1,000 beneficiaries enrolled to acquire practical and market-relevant skills.

The flag-off ceremony was held in Lokoja on Friday, October 2, 2026, with 10 accredited Training Service Providers operating across 10 skills acquisition centres in the state. The programme is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s technical and vocational education and training system.

Among the participating service providers are Leafnet Enterprise Ltd, Omniflow Power Ltd, Peemadi Ltd, Ugbo-Ugbo Enyo Nig Ltd, JB JennyB Venture Ltd, JEGOO Development Centre Ltd, USS Geo Consult and Jubilee 20 Park, among others.

The Kogi beneficiaries are receiving training in several occupational areas, including fashion design and garment making, solar photovoltaic installation and maintenance, and catering and event management.

The IDEAS Project is designed to improve the ability of Nigeria’s skills development system to provide relevant competencies for both formal and informal sectors. The official project description says it also seeks to improve labour-market relevance by involving industry and private-sector partners in skills development.

Speaking on the initiative, National Project Coordinator Blessing Ogwu said the programme is intended to equip Nigerians with technical, vocational and digital skills that can improve their chances of securing employment or establishing sustainable businesses.

Ogwu, who was represented at the Kogi ceremony by Dr Samaila Dogoyaro, a communication officer with the Benue State Project Implementation Unit, stressed the importance of practical skills in addressing unemployment and supporting economic empowerment.

According to the project, skills being developed under the programme cut across areas such as information and communication technology, agriculture, hospitality, construction, electrical installation, automotive trades, welding and fabrication, plumbing, solar installation and fashion design. Recent IDEAS-TVET activities in other states also confirm that Cohort 3 is being delivered through accredited training providers in different locations across the country.

Ogwu also said the broader IDEAS intervention has supported the renovation and equipping of workshops in technical colleges and contributed to the training and upskilling of technical teachers and instructors.

The project coordinator said approximately 80,000 young Nigerians are being trained through the programme nationwide, reflecting the scale of the current skills-development drive. Recent Cohort 3 flag-offs in Cross River and the Federal Capital Territory similarly reported thousands of beneficiaries participating through accredited Training Service Providers.

Beneficiaries in Kogi were also reminded that regular attendance is an important condition attached to the programme's monthly stipend. Trainees are expected to maintain at least 65 per cent attendance each month to qualify for the reported ₦30,000 stipend.

Project officials encouraged participants to look beyond the financial support and concentrate on acquiring practical competence that could translate into employment, entrepreneurship and improved income.

The message was reinforced by some of the Training Service Providers already working with the beneficiaries.

Ajayi Olufemi, Centre Manager at Memorial Foundation Chateko Vocational Institute under Leafnet Enterprise Ltd, said his centre has 150 trainees undergoing fashion design and garment-making training.

Olufemi said the training began in June and that some participants had already developed enough practical skills to make clothes for themselves. He urged the trainees to focus on acquiring a trade that could provide them with a sustainable livelihood rather than viewing the programme primarily through the stipend.

At Jubilee 20 Park in Lokoja, Training Programme Manager Anthony Achenaje said the centre had been assigned 100 trainees for catering and event management.

Achenaje said the centre's priority was to ensure that participants mastered their chosen trade and became capable of earning a living from it. He added that many participants were attracted to the programme because of their interest in the skills being offered.

For some trainees, the programme has already produced visible results.

One beneficiary, Josephine David, said she began the training without prior experience but had learned to operate a sewing machine and produce garments within three months. She said the opportunity had helped her develop a new practical skill.

Government officials also urged participants to remain committed throughout the training, noting that the value of the programme would ultimately depend on what beneficiaries could do with the knowledge and skills acquired.

The Federal Ministry of Education's official description of the IDEAS Project identifies strengthening skills formation, improving technical institutions, increasing the availability of competent instructors and improving industry links as key components of the programme.

With Cohort 3 now underway in Kogi and other parts of Nigeria, the Federal Government and its development partners are positioning technical and vocational training as part of the broader effort to close skills gaps and improve pathways into employment and entrepreneurship.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia