The Federal Government has disclosed plans to facilitate access to soft loans from the Bank of Industry for about 26,000 trainees under its Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project.
The IDEAS project is a World Bank-supported initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.
The National Project Coordinator of the IDEAS project, Mrs Blessing Ogwu, made the disclosure during a visit by officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and World Bank representatives to Wavecrest College, Lagos.
Ogwu said the ministry was liaising with the Bank of Industry to secure soft loans for trainees to enable them scale up their businesses after graduation.
“At the end of the programme, the Federal Ministry of Education intends to give the trainees starter packs. We are training them not to roam the streets in search of government jobs but to become self-reliant,” she said.
She added that the programme was designed to reduce youth unemployment by equipping participants with practical and employable skills.
According to her, the current batch comprises about 26,000 trainees, while a previous cohort had 14,000 participants and the pilot phase trained 1,050 beneficiaries.
Ogwu said the six-month programme began on Jan. 12, 2026, with Batch One commencing on Oct. 12, adding that another cohort of about 30,000 trainees was expected by the end of March.
She disclosed that over 400 centres were currently running under the project, while additional TVET centres operated by the ministry bring the total to more than 3,000 nationwide.
Also speaking, Scherezad Latif, Practice Manager for Education for West and Central Africa at the World Bank, described Nigeria as one of the institution’s largest education programmes.
She said the visit was to review the minister’s TVET initiative and the World Bank-supported IDEAS project, expressing satisfaction with the outcomes observed at Wavecrest College.
The Deputy Provost of the college said the institution was combining training with employment prospects, particularly in hospitality and related fields.
She explained that modules offered include catering and hospitality management, food production, food service, front office and customer service, as well as housekeeping operations.
One of the trainees, Ihedioha Ifeanyichukwu, said the programme had broadened his understanding of the hospitality industry and given him confidence to pursue a career in the sector.
He added that the three-month internship component would provide practical exposure and an opportunity for possible retention after placement.
The Federal Government reiterated that substantial funds had been budgeted for TVET, alongside support from the World Bank, to enhance skills acquisition and tackle unemployment among Nigerian youths.
