Kaduna State has officially rolled out one of Nigeria’s most ambitious youth empowerment programs in recent years—the Kaduna Skills-Hub. The goal? To equip 12,000 young people every year with high-demand technical, digital, creative, and entrepreneurial skills that are aligned with today’s job market. This is not just a job-creation announcement. It’s a strategic, data-backed intervention that reflects Kaduna’s deep commitment to youth-driven development, economic inclusion, and long-term poverty reduction.
This initiative—spearheaded by the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani—is a direct response to years of youth unemployment, skills mismatch, and rural underdevelopment. In the wake of economic challenges, rising insecurity, and national inflation, Kaduna is choosing a different path: investment in people over politics.
Let’s break down what this Kaduna skills-hub launch really means, what’s inside the plan, and why it’s already being called a national model for inclusive development.
The Vision Behind the Kaduna Skills-Hub
The Kaduna Skills-Hub is not a one-off training workshop or NGO-led campaign. It’s a state-funded infrastructure and policy system with long-term economic impact. The vision, according to the state government, is to train, certify, and economically activate 12,000 young people every year—across all 23 Local Government Areas—via specialized training tracks.
This is rooted in three core beliefs:
Skills are the new currency.
Kaduna’s government believes that degrees without relevant job skills no longer guarantee employment, and technical competence is what unlocks local and global income streams.
Youth empowerment is the fastest route to economic stability.
By enabling more young people to earn legally and sustainably, the state reduces crime, dependency, and unrest.
Technology and trades will drive Kaduna’s future economy.
With the growing demand for digital services, construction expertise, renewable energy solutions, and small-scale manufacturing, the skills-hub is targeting sectors that have real growth potential.
Governor Uba Sani emphasized that this is not just about giving youths skills; it’s about giving them control over their future. The program is designed to ensure that trained participants can either get hired, start a business, or plug into freelance/informal opportunities within three to six months of graduation.
Location, Infrastructure, and Who’s Funding It
The Kaduna skills-hub isn’t a single training center—it’s a multi-hub model, with centralized and decentralized access points spread across the state.
Main Skills-Hub Headquarters
Located in Kaduna North LGA, this flagship campus serves as the administrative nerve and innovation lab.
Zonal Hubs
Sub-hubs are established in Southern Kaduna (Kafanchan), Zaria (North), and Birnin Gwari (West axis), ensuring every geopolitical zone has coverage.
Mobile Training Units
Trucks and buses equipped with modular learning tools will visit hard-to-reach LGAs on a rotational basis.
Each site is fitted with:
- Smart classrooms
- Hands-on workshops (e.g., for tailoring, plumbing, welding)
- High-speed internet for tech training
- Gender-sensitive facilities (separate toilets, lactation rooms)
- Onsite hostels (for a few hubs), especially for female or rural trainees
Who’s Paying for All This?
The project is primarily funded by the Kaduna State Government through its Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology. Additional support comes from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention funds, World Bank’s IDEAS project, the German development agency GIZ, and private sector partners like Jobberman, Sightsavers, and several local manufacturers.
A special fund—the Kaduna State Youth Skills and Enterprise Fund—has also been established to sustain operations beyond the first two years.
Who Is Eligible and How the 12,000 Target Will Be Achieved
This program is designed for Kaduna youths aged 18 to 35, regardless of educational background. Whether you’re a university graduate, a secondary school leaver, an artisan, or someone with no formal education, you are eligible—so long as you are willing to learn and meet the basic application requirements.
Eligibility Criteria
- Kaduna indigene or long-term resident
- Aged 18–35
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Ability to commit to full training duration
- Women, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are especially encouraged
How Will They Train 12,000 Annually?
- Each zonal hub has the capacity to train 1,000–1,500 people per quarter.
- Mobile hubs target rural LGAs, training 200–300 youths monthly.
- Rolling applications every 8 weeks ensure new cohorts rotate in and out continuously.
- Weekend/evening programs exist for working-class youth.
- Remote-learning modules in ICT allow self-paced study for tech tracks.
This approach blends central training with local reach and uses digital tools to scale faster without compromising on quality.
Skills Training Focus Areas and Job Market Relevance
The Kaduna skills-hub curriculum is informed by comprehensive labor market analysis. Training modules cover:
Technology & Digital Skills
Coding, software development, digital marketing, graphic design, and data analytics.
Trades & Crafts
Welding, electrical installation, carpentry, plumbing, tailoring, and cosmetology.
Entrepreneurship & Business Skills
Business management, financial literacy, bookkeeping, and marketing for startups.
Agribusiness
Modern farming techniques, agro-processing, and supply chain management.
Each track ends with practical internships or apprenticeship placements secured through partnerships with local industries, tech hubs, farms, and businesses. This ensures participants graduate with experience and networks.
Tracking Impact and Ensuring Sustainability
Beyond training, Kaduna’s government is instituting a robust monitoring and evaluation system that will track employment rates, income changes, and business startups among graduates.
Quarterly surveys, mobile app reporting, and community feedback loops will ensure the program adapts and remains effective.
Additionally, a post-training support unit offers:
- Access to micro-loans and grants
- Mentorship programs
- Business incubation spaces
- Online alumni networks
Sustainability is embedded by encouraging graduates to become trainers themselves and through collaborations with private sector employers who co-fund parts of the program to build their future workforce.
Why This Matters Nationally and for Nigerian Youths
Nigeria has the largest youth population in Africa but faces severe unemployment and underemployment challenges. Kaduna’s model offers a scalable example of how states can mobilize resources to create skills ecosystems that are:
- Demand-driven
- Inclusive (gender, disability, IDPs)
- Multi-sectoral
- Geographically decentralized
The hope is that other Nigerian states will adopt similar approaches to combat youth unemployment and harness the demographic dividend.
Kaduna Skills-Hub is more than a training program. It’s a blueprint for economic transformation through youth empowerment.
