To tackle rising youth unemployment in the country, a prominent faith-based organisation, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Centre, has identified early skills learning among Nigerian youths as a strategy to reduce the challenge. The centre emphasised this during a youth empowerment and skills acquisition programme, where tertiary students and graduates were trained in core, in-demand skills relevant to today’s evolving job market.

The training was organised to reduce the over-dependence on white collar jobs and improve their chances in an increasingly competitive labour market.

Speaking at the event in Agege, Lagos, the Coordinator of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Centre in Lagos, Abdulrahman Thabit, said the youth empowerment, which began in 2024, has impacted hundreds of lives, who are now pursuing careers in what they learned.

He said: “Our target is to raise Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf of this generation. Islamic history will not be complete without mentioning him because he showed us that it is not over until it is over. He left all what he had had in Mecca because of the persecution, but on getting to Medinah, what he said was, “Show me the market, and I will make it happen.” And once he was shown the market, he did make it happen. And today also, we want to raise more people who are ready to take action into financial freedom, and who will stop complaining, rather take up the actions and do the necessary things.”

He noted that regardless of religious affiliation, the training was meant to serve humanity and give hope and direction to the upcoming generation of country’s leaders.

“Our projection is that, by Allah’s grace, we want to be training at least 100 on an annual basis, cutting across different skills,” he stated.

The Programme Coordinator, Mariam Mohammed, emphasised the urgent need for parents to prioritise skills acquisition for their children at teen age, noting that the demand for skills in today’s society is higher compared to yesteryears.

“Over time, we have realised that beyond just going to school, you also need some form of skill that you can fall back on in case of an eventuality. And the good thing today is that because of the advent of social media and technological advancement, it has become even a lot easier to learn many of these skills. And that is what we are trying to do.”

She added, “Our goal is not even just the numbers, it’s about actually creating real impact and ensuring that we create a structure where trainees can eventually become trainers in the future.”

She however, decried the poor turnout among shortlisted applicants, revealing that despite being successfully screened for the programme, only a few honoured the invitation, indicating that what tends to be free is not always given priority.

Meanwhile, participants hailed the initiative as impactful and transformative, commending the organisers for their dedication to equipping young people with skills for a better future.