The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment with the successful graduation of 500 participants from the Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET) programme. The graduation ceremony, themed “Empowering the Youths: From Knowledge to Income,” celebrated the completion of a six‑week intensive training designed to equip young people with practical, entrepreneurial, and income‑generating skills.
The beneficiaries were trained in five vocational tracks: computer and phone repair, photography and videography, graphic design, cosmetology, and mixology. Participants were drawn from the State’s five IBILE divisions, Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe, to ensure broad geographic representation. The programme is part of the State’s broader strategy to reduce unemployment, curb poverty, and encourage self‑reliance by turning young people into job creators rather than job seekers.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, said the initiative reflects the government’s deliberate effort to align youth training with the needs of the modern economy. He noted that the participants were taught by experienced professionals and industry experts, giving them hands‑on experience in their chosen trades and improving their chances of securing work or starting their own businesses. Ajigbotafe urged the graduands to treat the ceremony as a stepping stone rather than a finish line, and to use their skills to create jobs for others and drive community development.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Lolade Aina, disclosed that the State had provided start‑up kits to enable beneficiaries to begin their businesses immediately after the training. She also highlighted the role of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund in supporting the graduates with access to funding and business opportunities, including a ₦250,000 start‑up loan facility designed to promote small‑business growth. Beneficiaries who wish to access the fund must present a LASSRA ID, the TVET training certificate, Tax Identification Number (TIN), and a valid government‑issued ID.
The ceremony featured the presentation of certificates, distributions of start‑up kits, and exhibitions of products and projects created by the trainees, giving partners and stakeholders a first‑hand view of the programme’s output. Aina and the Commissioner both praised the training facilitators, development partners, and programme coordinators for their role in making the initiative a success, and reiterated the government’s commitment to sustaining similar skills‑development and economic‑empowerment programmes across Lagos State.