Fifteen young Nigerians have completed a youth leadership training organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in Kano.
The programme themed Youth Leadership Development Programme (YouLead), is aimed at helping young people gain practical experience and start small businesses of their own.
The graduation ceremony was held at CITAD’s office in Kano. Speaking during the event, CITAD’s Executive Director, Engr. Y.Z. Yau, said the programme was designed to respond to growing youth unemployment.
“We are here to witness the graduation of the first batch of the YouLead programme, where 15 young participants received intensive training and incubation support to develop their business ideas whether in the private sector or in social enterprise,” he said.
As part of the training, the participants were placed with organisations for internships to gain practical experience and learn how workplaces function.
Engr. Yau said some of the trainees have already started their own businesses. “For us, the gain is that this idea is working. When we began, they came daily for lectures as if they were in a classroom. We recognized their unemployment status and offered transport support to encourage participation,” he said.
He added that the end of the programme is not the end of support. “We will continue to monitor their progress, provide guidance, further training, and link them with opportunities such as business grants,” he added.
Some of the graduates shared how the programme helped them develop skills and start earning for themselves.
Habiba Usman Hassan , one of the graduates, now runs a small restaurant where she sells food and traditional dishes. “Before this programme, I didn’t even think of starting something on my own,” she said. “Now, I not only cook and sell, but I also feel proud when people call me ‘chef’ in the neighbourhood.”
Another participant, Auwal Ibrahim Adamu, has opened a small bakery and is already selling bread around his community. “It started with just little of flour,” he said. “Now, people wake up early to wait for my bread. This training changed my life.”
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