Uba Sani gives financial lifeline to artisans, promises job opportunities

Governor Uba Sani has announced a financial initiative to support 4,050 graduates from the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development. The N200,000 grant per graduate, totaling N810 million, will aid graduates in transitioning from training to productive work. The funds will be managed by the Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency and can be utilized for purchasing tools, seed money for initial working capital, professional registration, or transportation costs to seek employment.

The governor also pledged to engage companies and industries to provide job opportunities, apprenticeships, internships, mentorship, and other structured engagements.

The governor highlighted that the graduates have achieved the National Skills Qualification Level II, positioning them as a new generation of skilled citizens capable of creating value for themselves, their families, communities, and the wider economy. His administration is committed to building an ecosystem where young people can become self-reliant, with women transforming skills into enterprises, persons with disabilities participating fully in the economy, and artisans moving from informal subsistence to globally competitive craftsmanship.

The Institute offers training in 14 trade areas, including electrical installation, welding, aluminum fabrication, computer hardware repairs, catering, masonry, refrigeration, painting, tiling, plumbing, solar installation, and automotive mechatronics. The institute is tuition-free and has a strong focus on women, persons with disabilities, and young people from underserved communities.

Kaduna State has three campuses for the Institute, and the training is designed to be practical, complemented by theory, literacy, numeracy, entrepreneurship, and soft skills. The governor emphasized that the institute is an engine of economic transformation, aiming to equip people with skills relevant to Kaduna, Nigeria, and the wider world.

The institute is also a partner with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to deliver training in accordance with National Occupational Standards and award National Skills Qualifications under the Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework.

Governor Uba Sani's initiative comes in response to national recognition, with the 6th National Construction Artisans Award recognizing a trainee, Ibrahim Abubakar Jikamshi, as the Overall Best Artisan of the Year in 2026. The governor thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support and reaffirmed his belief in the potential of Kaduna's young people, determined to transform their skills into productive power.