No fewer than 50 orphans and vulnerable youths in Niger State have graduated from a vocational training programme organised by the Balarabe Umaru Audi Youth Centre (BUAY-C), in a move aimed at strengthening skills development and promoting self-reliance among disadvantaged groups.
The beneficiaries—comprising out-of-school children, school dropouts, disadvantaged youths and persons living with disabilities aged between 15 and 25—were formally certified at the centre’s maiden graduation ceremony held on February 16, 2026, at the Islamic Education Trust in Minna.
Chairman of the occasion and former Kano State military governor, Sani Bello, used the platform to criticise Nigeria’s over-reliance on university education, arguing that academic qualifications no longer guarantee employment in a rapidly changing labour market.
He urged young Nigerians to prioritise vocational skills acquisition, noting that practical competencies offer more sustainable pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.
“If you acquire skills, you will always remain employable,” Bello said, adding that many of the graduates would likely become self-employed rather than depend on scarce government jobs.
He further emphasised that the era of white-collar employment had waned, encouraging youths to explore trades such as tailoring, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying and other technical vocations. He also observed that Nigeria faces a shortage of highly skilled artisans compared to neighbouring countries including Ghana, Benin Republic and Niger Republic.
In her remarks, founder and Board Chairperson of the centre, Fatima Lami Abubakar, described the graduation ceremony as a milestone rooted in years of vision and commitment to youth empowerment.
She explained that the centre was established in honour of her late father, Alhaji Balarabe Umaru Audi, whose legacy, she said, was defined by integrity, discipline and service to society.
According to her, the institution seeks to sustain his values by equipping young people with practical skills and opportunities to build independent livelihoods.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, represented by his deputy Yakubu Garba, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to youth empowerment under its development agenda, stressing that the productivity and resilience of young people remain central to the state’s long-term growth.
He noted that initiatives such as the BUAY-C programme complement government efforts to expand access to vocational training at the grassroots level.
Earlier, the centre’s Chief Executive Officer, Daoda Kanneh, said BUAY-C, established in November 2024, was designed to inspire youths to realise their full potential through skills training, mentorship and empowerment initiatives.
Stakeholders at the event described the programme as a practical intervention in addressing youth unemployment and social vulnerability, particularly among marginalised groups in the state.
