Nigeria launches starter pack distribution for 18,510 trained artisans

The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated the distribution of starter packs to 18,510 Nigerians who completed the first phase of the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme. This initiative, managed by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), aims to equip beneficiaries with the necessary tools to launch their own businesses and achieve self-sufficiency.

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We are using technology. We have already opened a portal where all the beneficiaries, the participants are enrolled inside that portal. We know their location, we track them. It is a system that we have put mechanically that we have to know exactly the location that you are.

The training program, which spanned two weeks, involved intensive vocational instruction at over 230 accredited centers across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Participants acquired skills in a wide array of trades, including automobile technology, agricultural technology, baking, carpentry, fashion design, electrical installation, and welding, among others.

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We are using GPS to ensure that every participant we track and ensure that you have been very useful to the programme. We have a Call Centre. These Call Centre Agents are the ones that will be interacting with the beneficiaries to ensure that they don’t have challenges. If there is any challenge that they have witnessed along the line, then we have put in a mechanism to mitigate such challenges.

During the program's closing ceremony in Abuja, Dr. Nsikak Okon, the National Programme Manager for N-POWER, detailed the government's commitment to accountability. He revealed that GPS technology and a dedicated monitoring system are in place to track beneficiaries and ensure the starter packs are utilized effectively. A portal has been established for beneficiary enrollment and location monitoring, complemented by a call center to offer support and address any challenges encountered.

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Nothing is hidden, everything is in the portal. We have opened the portal and you see what is in your starter pack. If you have any deficiency or any defects in the starter pack, you call our call centre.

"We are using technology. We have already opened a portal where all the beneficiaries, the participants are enrolled inside that portal. We know their location, we track them," Okon stated, emphasizing the use of GPS for tracking and program utility. He added that the call center agents actively interact with beneficiaries to mitigate issues. The monitoring mechanism is also designed to promote transparency, allowing beneficiaries to access details of their assigned equipment via the portal. Each beneficiary also received a transport allowance of N60,000 for the training period.

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We have sent messages to all the 230 training centres. If there is an issue with the starter pack that we have given to the beneficiaries, reach out back to us so that we now know how to work against such issues.