Posted by Samuel on Thu 10th Jul, 2025 - tori.ng
Dr. Silas Agara, Director of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, disclosed this during a one-day meeting held in Abuja to finalize preparations for the rollout of the second phase of the initiative.
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to engage more than 21,782 unemployed youths in various skill acquisition programs as part of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), a flagship project of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Dr. Silas Agara, Director of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, disclosed this during a one-day meeting held in Abuja to finalize preparations for the rollout of the second phase of the initiative.
He described the first phase as a “huge success” and assured that measures are being put in place to address minor challenges encountered previously.
The meeting, attended by NDE state and zonal directors as well as state coordinators, focused on setting timelines for the launch of the programme.
Dr. Agara urged his management and staff to fully commit to ensuring a smooth and effective implementation from start to finish, emphasizing that the initiative will benefit youth, adults, and persons with special needs.
“This second phase is a strategic plan aimed at significantly reducing youth unemployment by enhancing the relevance, quality, and scalability of NDE’s programmes in alignment with labour market demands,” he said.
The initiative will cover vocational skills development, small-scale enterprises, rural employment promotion, and special public works. These components are designed to equip Nigerians with marketable skills for both self-employment and wage employment.
Dr. Agara also highlighted that the registration process for participants will be entirely online through an upgraded NDE registration portal, ensuring accessibility and efficiency.
“I want to thank Nigerians for their confidence in us and assure that this phase will be 100 percent digital, leaving no room for complaints from beneficiaries,” he added.
Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at NDE, explained that the portal upgrade includes backend customization for each state.
He noted that after training, successful participants will be able to apply online for resettlement support and various loans using their unique IDs.
Participants at the meeting included representatives from the NDE headquarters and state offices nationwide.