In a bold move to tackle youth unemployment head-on, the Federal Government has announced that over 21,782 young Nigerians will benefit from the second phase of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), one of President Bola Tinubu’s key empowerment programmes.
Speaking at a strategic meeting in Abuja, the Director of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Dr. Silas Agara, shared updates on the initiative’s rollout. According to him, the first phase of the RHEI was a “huge success,” and plans are now underway to scale up and fine-tune the second phase for broader and more inclusive impact.
“We’re not just repeating what we did—we’re improving it,” Dr. Agara stated. “This next phase isn’t just for youths alone. We’re opening it up to adults and persons with special needs too. Our goal is clear—provide practical, market-ready skills that reduce unemployment and empower Nigerians to build a future for themselves.”
The training will span across four key areas: vocational skills development, support for small-scale businesses, rural employment promotion, and targeted public works. The entire process—from registration to training and eventual support for resettlement or loans—will be done online via the upgraded NDE portal.
Dr. Agara assured Nigerians that the new digital process would be smooth, transparent, and inclusive. “We’ve built a system where every applicant is traceable and every success is measurable,” he said.
Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, added that each applicant will receive a unique ID, enabling them to apply for post-training support, including startup kits and loans, tailored to their training.
With state and zonal directors, as well as state coordinators in attendance, the meeting focused on refining logistics and timelines ahead of the launch.
As the government continues to push forward with its Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative is being hailed as a practical step toward economic empowerment—especially for those who need it the most.
