In a bid to consolidate the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), the Ogun State Government, in collaboration with the German Government through GIZ, has launched the Ogun Job Centre to tackle the growing youth unemployment rate.
Speaking at the event in Abeokuta yesterday, Governor Dapo Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering the teeming youth population through skills and vocational training.
Abiodun stated that President Bola Tinubu’s visionary leadership and commitment to youth empowerment and job creation through his Renewed Hope Agenda have provided Ogun State with the leverage to conceptualise and implement such a life-changing initiative.
Represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor said President Tinubu’s developmental drive has inspired the state to achieve greater strides in job creation and other key sectors.
Salako-Oyedele added that upon assuming office under the policy of “Building Our Future Together”, the administration undertook a thorough assessment of the development challenges confronting the state. She noted that one of the most pressing issues identified was youth development and job creation, which has become not just a policy priority but also a moral duty and a defining pillar of the Dapo Abiodun-led administration.
She further explained that the state government realised that securing the future of its citizens requires tackling unemployment head-on.
The deputy governor maintained that, in pursuit of this goal, the administration launched a strategic initiative aimed not only at reducing unemployment but also at building a skilled, confident, and competitive workforce for the demands of the 21st century.
She highlighted that several technical and vocational training centres across the three senatorial districts have been established and revitalised, transforming them into hubs of practical learning and entrepreneurial innovation.
According to her, the job centres across the state represent a natural progression of this vision. They now provide career counselling, job-matching services, and entrepreneurship training to prepare citizens for the evolving world of work.
She also described the state’s partnership with the World Bank on children’s scholarship programmes as a milestone and a shining example of inclusiveness.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance and Chairman of the Project Steering Committee of OGSTEP, Mr Dapo Okubadejo, said the project, initiated five years ago, aims to improve the state’s economic footprint and overall development.
Okubadejo emphasised that OGSTEP focuses on four key areas: enabling environment, skills and education, cultural value chain, and public sector reforms.
He explained that Governor Abiodun strongly believes in both formal and technical education as essential tools for empowerment. He added that OGSTEP gave rise to the Ogun State Skills Fund, established by the governor in 2021, which has so far trained 31,000 Ogun State residents.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, described the establishment of the job centre as another milestone in the state’s development drive and commended Governor Abiodun for his purposeful leadership.
Country Director of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr Markus Wanger, noted that the job centre stands as a testament to the shared commitment to connect young Nigerians to job opportunities, equip them with relevant skills, and support them in navigating the labour market confidently.
He added that Ogun State is uniquely positioned to harness the potential of such an initiative, given its thriving manufacturing sector and growing base of industries across agro-processing and the creative economy.
Wanger stated that the job centre will not only support individuals in finding employment but also contribute to the broader vision of inclusive and sustainable economic growth for Ogun State.
OGSTEP Coordinator, Mrs Mosunmola Owodunsi, explained that one of the agency’s core areas is training across three categories—formal, non-formal, and informal. She said that while technical colleges fall under the formal sector, the other categories are managed under the Ogun Skills Fund.
She added that OGSTEP was mandated to establish the Ogun Skills Fund to train residents in various trades and skills.
