NCDMB, Wedgwood partner to empower 250 A’Ibom youth with market skills;
Empowerment
By Isaiah Eka
Uyo, Dec. 30, 2025 (NAN) The Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in collaboration with Wedgwood Integrated Investment Ltd have trained 250 Akwa Ibom youths, in self-reliance skills.
The Board also empowered the trainees with starter packs at the end of the three-week programme, which ended on Tuesday in Uyo.
The packs include; 72 business scaling kits comprising tablets with keypads, mouse and pen, and 67 portable sewing machines with mini sewing kits for fashion trainees.
Other items are: 57 mini laptops for graphics design, content creation and digital marketing, 19 GSM/mobile phone repair toolkits, and 35 solar installation toolkits.
In his remarks at the closing ceremony, Managing Director of Wedgwood Mr Emmanuel Sani, said that the initiative was designed after a careful assessment of market realities and gaps in existing empowerment programmes.
He said that the training was on vocational and entrepreneurial skills, aimed at improving employability and reducing youth unemployment in the state.
”The training covered five major areas considered critical for sustainable livelihoods: fashion trade, graphics and content development with social media marketing, solar installation, GSM/mobile phone repair with a strong entrepreneurship focus.
“We redefined business for the participants as the ability to exchange skills for monetary value, and that mindset change is the real secret behind the success of this programme,” he said.
He said that beyond technical training, participants went through general reorientation sessions, covering customer service, sales and marketing, emotional stability, mentorship, apprenticeship among others, to prepare them for real-life challenges.
According to him, Wedgwood and its partners would continue to support the trainees through mentorship, follow-up programmes and tracking mechanisms.
He said that class governors and committed participants had been identified from the trainees, for continuous engagement.
In his remarks, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Felix Ogbe, said that the Board was committed to empowering youth with practical skills rather than short-term handouts.
Ogbe who was represented by Mr John Barigha, director of NCDMB, urged beneficiaries to use the starter packs provided to grow their businesses.
“We are not giving you fish; we are teaching you how to fish; What we have given you today is the net, and it is left for you to go into the sea and make meaningful use of it,,” he said.
Meanwhile, he warned trainees against selling the equipment, stressing that the board had invested heavily in ensuring success of the programme .
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Joyce Udoh, described the programme as transformative
She thanked the organisers, adding that the programme provided both technical knowledge and business direction for the trainees. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
IE/UNS
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Edited by Sandra Umeh