FG To Train 500,000 Youths With COVID-19 Stimulus Fund

The Ministry of Youth and Sport has revealed that it will be training 500,000 youths across the six geo-political zones after securing funding under the COVID-19 stimulus budget.

Making this disclosure in a statement on Thursday, the ministry revealed that the digital skill training will be under an initiative called 'A New DEEL' for the Nigerian youth.

READ ALSO: #RuralWomen: Nigerian Women To Get FG's N3bn Special Grant

According to the ministry, the initiative was conceived and supposed to be implemented in 2019 but was placed on hold due to lack of funding to fully implement its component.

Quoting the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, the statement by the ministry read, “Through the stimulus plan budget under President Muhammadu Buhari we can now implement 65-75 percent of DEEL concentrating on digital skills acquisition to bridge the existing gap we have in the area of technology. We had great ideas on my resumption of office but due to COVID-19 and funding challenges our vehicles for achieving the initiatives were slowed down but not stopped.”

The ministry further revealed that states in the six geopolitical zones have been selected for the first phase of Coding for Nigerian youths where each youth will undergo three months of training in coding.

It further stated that the youths will be given laptops to commence work upon completion of the training.