The Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind (FNSB) has lamented power outages and the rising cost of running the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) for the Blind on FIIRO Road, Cappa, in Oshodi, Lagos.

The society also announced plans to admit candidates between the ages of 16 and 65 into its vocational programmes due to health challenges among older applicants.

Before now, the centre admitted students between the ages of 16 and 70.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors, VTC, Njideka Ayopeju, stated this yesterday at its 68th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos.

She noted that 2025 was marked by resilience, strategic engagement, institutional growth and measurable progress.

According to Ayopeju, despite rising operational costs and economic pressures, the society remained steadfast in fulfilling its mandate of rehabilitating and empowering blind and visually impaired persons.

During the 2025 training year, the centre admitted 25 trainees, comprising 22 regular trainees and three executive trainees. The admissions included 14 males and eight females in Year One, as well as 15 males and seven females in Year Two.

The centre also recorded commendable academic achievements during the year. Nine trainees sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), out of which eight secured admission into various universities across the country, representing a success rate of 89 per cent.

In addition, 23 regular trainees and four executive trainees successfully completed their programmes and graduated during the year.

She said the newly introduced Executive Trainee Programme (ETP) was designed to support professionals requiring workplace reintegration and vocational skills.

“Admissions into programmes focused on candidates between the ages of 16 and 70 years with basic literacy skills. However, due to observed health-related challenges among older applicants in recent years, plans are underway to review the upper age limit downward to 65 years from subsequent admission cycles,” she said.

Despite the notable achievements recorded during the year, Ayopeju noted that the centre experienced several operational challenges, including frequent power outages, which disrupted training schedules and affected the smooth delivery of instructional activities.

She added that the centre also experienced a shortage of qualified instructional staff, largely due to increasing salary expectations among experienced professionals, but steps had been taken by the executive council to address the challenge.

She further stated that another major operational difficulty was the breakdown of service vehicles, which significantly affected logistics and field-related activities.

Presenting her report, the chairman of the centre, Arit Tunde-Imoyo, said that with the support of SNEPCo, the society successfully commenced and completed the construction of a new gatehouse to improve security and access control within the premises.

In addition, renovation works were carried out on two hostel buildings accommodating six hostel blocks for male trainees, significantly improving the living conditions and comfort of beneficiaries.

She added that, to address longstanding water supply challenges within the VTC, the society partnered with Femina Hygienical to install a new borehole water system, which now supports water supply to the female hostel, library, classrooms and staff quarters, thereby improving sanitation and general living conditions within the facility.

She said the society also experienced several environmental and structural challenges during the year due to heavy rainfall and strong windstorms, which resulted in repeated collapse and damage to sections of perimeter fencing shared with neighbouring institutions and properties, including NIMET, FIIRO Guest House and Frontline Hotel.

“The society continues to face significant sustainability challenges arising from operational and administrative costs, increasing demand for rehabilitation services, limited funding opportunities and infrastructure maintenance needs.”

She added: “The growing need for modern assistive technology and digital learning tools, and addressing these challenges, will require deliberate investment in fundraising, strategic partnerships, innovation and institutional development.

“The society remains committed to pursuing key developmental priorities aimed at strengthening the quality and sustainability of our services. These include the full solarisation of the Vocational Training Centre to improve energy efficiency and reduce operational costs; the digitalisation of the society’s library to enhance learning accessibility for trainees; the establishment of a more convenient transportation system through the procurement of a coaster bus for trainees and a salon car for operational activities; the accreditation of the Vocational Training Centre programmes; and the continued renovation and upgrading of hostels and staff quarters to provide a safer and more conducive living and learning environment.”

For the year 2026, the centre said it is focusing on expanding instructional and administrative staff capacity, upgrading training equipment and facilities, broadening vocational course offerings, and implementing a coordinated publicity and marketing plan to improve enrolment and visibility.