Zulum Disburses ₦2bn Starter Packs to 2,970 Trained Borno Youths in Massive Empowerment Drive

By: Michael Mike

Governor Babagana Zulum on Tuesday rolled out a ₦2.05 billion empowerment package for 2,970 young people trained in vocational skills across Borno State, marking a major push in the state’s transition from humanitarian recovery to economic rebuilding after more than a decade of insurgency.

The beneficiaries, who graduated from nine modern vocational enterprise institutes and centres established by the Zulum administration, received comprehensive starter packs and business kits designed to enable immediate take-off of small and medium-scale enterprises.

The ceremony, held at the Muna Vocational Enterprises Institute in Maiduguri, drew senior government officials, lawmakers and technical education stakeholders, underscoring the scale and strategic importance of the intervention.

Addressing the gathering, Zulum described youth empowerment as a cardinal pillar of his administration, particularly in a state where insurgency disrupted livelihoods, deepened unemployment and left thousands of young people vulnerable.

He said the government deliberately prioritised skills acquisition and entrepreneurship as sustainable pathways to restore dignity and rebuild productive capacity.

“We remain mindful of the devastating effects of insurgency on our communities,” Zulum stated. “It became imperative for government to implement sustainable interventions aimed at restoring dignity, creating opportunities and rebuilding productive capacity among our people.”

The governor noted that since 2019, his administration has established five major vocational enterprise institutes in Muna, Mafa, Biu, Shani and Magumeri, reactivated nine vocational training centres, and set up three Second Chance Skills Entrepreneurship Schools targeted at women and girls.

He disclosed that over ₦40 billion has been invested in building, rehabilitating and equipping vocational institutes, training centres and technical colleges across the state. According to him, the investment aligns with a broader Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategy aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school youths, promoting self-reliance and creating a skilled workforce capable of contributing to the state and national economy.

The graduates were trained in high-demand sectors such as information technology, construction, plumbing, tailoring, welding and other artisan trades, reflecting the state’s intention to match training with market realities.

Earlier, Commissioner for Education, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, said the initiative was a direct product of Governor Zulum’s vision to empower conflict-affected youths with practical, employable and entrepreneurial skills.

He explained that the programme was conceived as part of a broader social and economic rebuilding agenda to support vulnerable groups, particularly young people and women whose lives were disrupted by years of insecurity.

The event was attended by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Professor Idris Bugaje; Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Mohammed Ali Ndume and Kaka Shehu Lawan; Secretary to the Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani; Acting Chief of Staff, Babagana Mallumbe, among other dignitaries.

With the distribution of the ₦2 billion starter packs, the Borno State Government signalled a deliberate shift from short-term relief interventions to long-term economic empowerment, positioning youth entrepreneurship as a central driver of stability, growth and lasting peace in the state.

Zulum Disburses ₦2bn Starter Packs to 2,970 Trained Borno Youths in Massive Empowerment Drive