The federal government plans to train 12,000 out-of-school children through a specialised skills development programme designed to help vulnerable Nigerians escape poverty and become economically productive, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, has said.
Key Highlights
- FG plans to train 12,000 out-of-school children in special skills.
- The programme is estimated to cost $20 million, with four foundations showing interest.
- A One Humanitarian One Poverty Reduction System awaits FEC approval.
- Doro advocates a National Economic Trust Fund for humanitarian interventions.
- IOM Regional Director Sylvia Ekra pledges support for the initiative.
Doro disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday after a courtesy visit to his office by a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nigeria, led by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms Sylvia Ekra.
The minister explained that some of the targeted children might have outgrown the conventional school-going age, requiring alternative teaching methods to equip them with relevant skills for employment and economic participation.
He said the programme would cost an estimated $20 million, adding that four foundations had indicated interest in supporting the initiative.
One Humanitarian One Poverty Reduction System
According to Doro, the government is also developing a broader framework to coordinate humanitarian assistance and poverty reduction interventions across federal and subnational levels.
He said the proposed One Humanitarian One Poverty Reduction System, which is awaiting approval by the Federal Executive Council, would connect beneficiaries to social protection services and provide a structured pathway from vulnerability to economic stability.
The minister described the initiative as a mechanism for coordinating interventions, improving collaboration among stakeholders and ensuring that assistance produces measurable results.
He added that the ministry was developing 20 models to identify vulnerable people and guide them through different support pathways towards stability and self-reliance.
Doro attributed the government’s commitment to poverty reduction to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the ministry is working towards lifting vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty, easing social crises and helping beneficiaries contribute to the national economy.
Read also:
- Doro: FG Moves to Lift Vulnerable Nigerians From Poverty to Shared Prosperity
- Zulum Seeks African Union Support to Return 800,000 Out-of-School Children to Classrooms in Borno
- World Bank-Backed HOPE-EDU Programme Targets 29m Nigerian Children, 500,000 Teachers, 65,000 Public Schools
Call For National Economic Trust Fund
He also called on Nigerians in the diaspora to support the government’s humanitarian and poverty reduction initiatives by collaborating with the ministry.
The minister advocated the establishment of a National Economic Trust Fund, urging the federal government, development partners and philanthropists to contribute towards a sustainable funding mechanism for humanitarian interventions.
He commended the IOM for its contributions to humanitarian services in Nigeria and congratulated the organisation on its 25 years of engagement in the country.
Doro expressed hope that the partnership between the ministry and the IOM would become stronger and deliver greater benefits to vulnerable populations in the years ahead.
Earlier, Ekra said the IOM’s progress in Nigeria has been driven by its partnership with the government and people of the country, particularly the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
She commended the minister’s vision and leadership, expressing the organisation’s readiness to support the implementation of the initiative and contribute to the proposed humanitarian trust fund.
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