Nigeria's Vice President Kashim Shettima launches vocational training program and touts MSME impact

Vice President Kashim Shettima opened the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure's (NASENI) nationwide community empowerment programme in Kano State. The initiative will train more than 160 participants from the six geopolitical zones in practical skills such as solar installation, mobile‑phone hardware repair, electrical appliance servicing, welding, fabrication and food processing. Shettima said the programme reflects President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is intended to create jobs and boost youth and women empowerment.

Later in Abuja, at the 8th National MSME Awards, Shettima highlighted that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for 90 % of Nigerian businesses and provide over 60 million jobs. He announced government support measures, including a N75 billion MSME Intervention Fund, a N50 billion Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, and N874 billion disbursed by the Development Bank of Nigeria to women‑ and youth‑led MSMEs. A newly launched book, “Building Nigeria, Empowering MSMEs,” documents these initiatives. Shettima underscored the administration’s aim to decentralise economic opportunities and build an enterprise‑led nation.