UNICEF launches a vocational training programme in Borno to empower 1,033 children affected by armed conflict with practical skills and new opportunities

UNICEF has launched a vocational training programme in partnership with the Borno State Government to empower 1,033 children affected by years of armed conflict in the state.

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The initiative, unveiled on Wednesday in Maiduguri, aims to equip young people with practical, market-driven skills in areas such as tailoring, ICT, car mechanics, shoemaking, and carpentry.

Speaking at the event, UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, said the programme was designed to help conflict-affected children rebuild their lives and become self-reliant.

Saeed, represented by UNICEF Child Protection Manager, Shah Mohammad Khan, explained that many children and adolescents in the Northeast had been denied learning opportunities due to prolonged insurgency.

“Conflict did not just shrink the national economy; it has crippled personal income and the earning power of families and young people,” she said. “For too long, many children and adolescents, especially girls, have had their chance to learn a skill or pursue their dreams taken away.”

She noted that 567 boys and 466 girls are currently benefitting from the training across centres in Maiduguri, Bama, Biu, Damboa, and Konduga.

According to her, the scheme integrates vocational and life skills training with psychosocial support and official certification, ensuring participants are prepared for sustainable livelihoods.

“These vocational training centres restore not just learning, but hope, dignity, and opportunity for conflict-affected adolescents and their families,” Saeed said.

“Each year, over a thousand children will benefit, gaining practical skills that open doors to employment and self-reliance.”

In his remarks, Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, commended UNICEF and its partners, including UNDP, IOM, and UNODC, for supporting the initiative.

He described the programme as life-changing for children who had endured traumatic experiences such as abduction and forced recruitment by insurgents.

“Take a look at this boy, Bukar Modu. He was captured at the age of nine and forced to handle weapons and make locally fabricated bombs,” Wakilbe said.

“Programmes like this give such children a new lease of life. I thank UNICEF for its constant support in our most difficult times.”

The initiative forms part of UNICEF’s broader strategy to promote education, skills acquisition, and social protection in conflict-affected regions across Nigeria.

On October 4, 2025, the organisation also donated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to the Sokoto State Operations Coordinating Unit to support social protection and strengthen the National Social Register for identifying vulnerable persons.

**UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Michel Juma, said the donation aimed to enhance data efficiency and ensure effective targeting of poor households.

“The gesture reflects UNICEF’s commitment to supporting state institutions in building inclusive systems that leave no one behind,” Juma said.

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Through these initiatives, UNICEF continues to demonstrate its long-term commitment to helping Nigerian children overcome the impact of conflict and reclaim their futures through education and empowerment.