The World Bank has praised the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle youth unemployment through the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project.
The IDEAS Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, is designed to strengthen skills acquisition, improve employability and reduce youth unemployment across Nigeria. The initiative continues to support training providers and enhance TVET systems, particularly in Lagos, through specialised technical training.
Speaking during an inspection visit to Wavecrest College of Hospitality in Surulere, Lagos — one of the training centres under the IDEAS TVET project — the World Bank’s Practice Manager for Education (West and Central Africa), Scherezad Latif, commended the government’s commitment to investing in technical skills development.
Latif described Nigeria as one of the Bank’s major education programmes in the region and expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded so far under the Minister’s TVET initiative, which the World Bank supports through the IDEAS project.
She noted that she was impressed by the students’ motivation and clarity in articulating their learning experiences, describing the outcomes as encouraging.
National Project Coordinator for the programme, Mrs Blessing Ogwu, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is prioritising TVET and skills acquisition as a strategy to reduce unemployment and empower young people.
According to her, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, is committed to ensuring that the policy delivers measurable results and that the President’s investment in skills development yields tangible benefits.
Deputy Provost and IDEAS Programme Coordinator at the college, Ifeoma Nwabachili, explained that the project adopts a dual approach focused on both training and employment. She said participants undergo three months of hands-on training at the institution, followed by a three-month industry internship to equip them with practical catering and hospitality skills and improve their chances of securing employment.
The IDEAS project forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s TVET system and create sustainable pathways to employment for young people.
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