Nigerian Breweries Plc-Nigeria’s foremost brewing company has partnered with the Industrial Trust Fund (ITF) to empower 1000 youth and women across the country on skills development in line with its commitment to socio-economic development across communities in Nigeria..
The beneficiaries of the empowerment, drawn from 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory, were trained in a wide range of skill areas, including solar panel installations, tailoring, leather works, hairdressing, Phone repair, cap and wig making, and electrical installation.
Delivering his goodwill message at the graduation ceremony held in Lagos on Friday, November 25, 2023, the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi, stated that the initiative has not only trained individuals but laid a solid foundation for a more skilled and competitive workforce.
Congratulating the participants for completing the training, Essaadi encouraged them to continue to seek knowledge and embrace new challenges, noting that the skills and equipment acquired are not just tools for today but assets for a lifetime.
In his remarks, the Director General Industrial Training Fund, Dr. Afiz Ogun, noted that the partnership between the agency and Nigerian Breweries Plc in the training of the youth and women in selected areas of skills is one of the numerous efforts ITF in supporting the growth and development of skills training for impactful skills intervention in various sectors of the economy.
Ogun stated that the programme signposts the agency’s readiness to continually explore partnership opportunities with organisations as it strives to support the implementation of policies and programmes of the federal government. He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the skills acquired and the start-up packs given to them for self-sufficiency and wealth creation for national development.
“ I want to use this opportunity to urge participants to resolve to utilise the opportunity provided by the training to make decent living for themselves and their families and be good ambassadors of ITF and NB Plc. Do not sell start-up packs as it is your ticket to the world and opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian economy,” he said.
Speaking further on the partnership, the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan, explained that the decision to partner with ITF was driven by the desire to complement the government’s efforts in bridging the unemployment gap caused by the absence of technical skills.
Morgan noted that the graduation of the participants symbolises three transformative months for 1,000 remarkable individuals who have evolved into entrepreneurs and followed in the footsteps of 1365 past beneficiaries, now leaving lasting impacts in their respective professions.
“ To the graduating class of 2023, your belief and commitment to this programme has brought you this significant moment. As you enter the competitive Nigerian market, your true entrepreneurial journey begins. The challenges ahead are substantial, but we have unwavering confidence in your ability to succeed”, she said while congratulating the participants and urging them to remain diligent and seek knowledge to elevate their business. Since the inception of the Youth Empowerment Programme in 2019, a total of 2,365 youth and women from host communities and other locations across the country have benefited from this initiative.
