The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the gap between education and employment through targeted skills development and entrepreneurship initiatives in Edo State.
Speaking at an empowerment forum, Mrs. Anani praised the NDE’s Graduate Attachment Programme for equipping graduates with practical workplace experience, thereby easing their transition into the labour market. She urged the agency to intensify its outreach campaigns, particularly through radio broadcasts, to ensure rural communities are not left out.
Highlighting the importance of women’s economic participation, Mrs. Anani commended the From Farm to Table initiative, which promotes backyard farming by providing women with seeds, tools, and a ₦1 million prize for the best home farm.
“Women play a crucial role in shaping both the economy and their families. Empowering them means strengthening the very foundation of our society,” she said.
Edo State NDE Coordinator, Mr. James Ikanoba, outlined the directorate’s diverse empowerment programmes spanning agriculture, vocational training, infrastructure development, and small-scale enterprises.
He noted that NDE caters to Nigerians of all education levels, including retirees and students, and announced the ongoing online registration for the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, running from July 28 to August 11, 2025. The scheme covers four priority areas:
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Rural Employment Promotion
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Small Scale Enterprises
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Vocational Skills Development
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Special Public Works
Mr. Oluchi Okuone, Senior Information Officer of the NDE, stressed that job creation must go beyond the white-collar sector.
“Countries like China and Singapore built their economies by investing in small businesses and vocational skills. Edo State is following that example through this new collaboration,” he said.
The event underscored the NDE’s growing role in tackling unemployment by empowering artisans, farmers, and informal sector workers, while boosting grassroots economic growth.
