The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has sought the support of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) to secure internship, mentorship and employment opportunities for 50 young people in Kano State.
The initiative is being implemented under the Inclusive Economic Empowerment (IEE Pathways) Project, supported by the British Council, to equip young people with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
CITAD made the appeal during separate advocacy visits to MAN’s Challawa/Sharada branch and KACCIMA in Kano.
Speaking during the visit to MAN, the project manager, Mr Isah Garba, said the organisation needed the association’s support to connect beneficiaries with industries for practical experience after completing their training.
“While CITAD handles the classroom preparation, training without industry exposure is incomplete. This is why we are engaging MAN as an umbrella body of industries and a key driver of job creation in Kano,” he said.
Garba urged MAN to facilitate six-week internship placements, mentorship and possible employment for the beneficiaries. He also requested the association’s endorsement of the project, circulation of the initiative among member companies and appointment of a focal person to coordinate activities.
He said the Kano programme targeted 50 young people aged 18 to 35, including women, men and persons with disabilities, selected from more than 1,447 applicants.
According to him, the participants will undergo eight weeks of foundational skills training before choosing between a 14-week employment pathway and a 16-week enterprise development programme.
He said those on the employment pathway would be linked with companies and organisations for internship opportunities, while the training covered administration, information and communication technology, cybersecurity, customer service, marketing, sales, logistics and business operations.
Garba said the project required collaboration among employers, businesses, financial institutions and other stakeholders to address both unemployment and enterprise development.
Responding, the chairman of MAN’s Sharada/Challawa branch, Alhaji Nura Safiyanu Madugu, expressed the association’s readiness to support the initiative.
“MAN’s doors are always open to supporting and mentoring students in employability. We accommodate students in different industries for Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) and internship programmes,” he said.
Madugu requested the list of beneficiaries to enable the association to circulate their profiles to member companies through the office of its executive secretary.
He also commended CITAD for its interventions targeting young people and women, particularly in entrepreneurship development and digital skills training.
At KACCIMA, the acting director-general, Mr Tijjani Abdullahi Sarki, said the proposed partnership aligned with the chamber’s commitment to entrepreneurship development and youth empowerment.
Sarki described the engagement as timely, citing Kano’s growing youth population and the need to expand sustainable employment opportunities.
He assured the CITAD delegation that its requests would receive due consideration and be forwarded to the KACCIMA Council for approval.
CITAD asked the chamber to facilitate six-week internship placements with member companies, connect beneficiaries with experienced business mentors and encourage businesses to recruit outstanding interns when vacancies arose.
The organisation also sought KACCIMA’s endorsement, the circulation of internship opportunities among its members, appointment of a focal person and an opportunity to present the project at a future council or congress meeting.
Garba said CITAD would provide profiles of the beneficiaries to help businesses identify candidates whose skills matched their operational needs.
The IEE Pathways Project is being implemented by CITAD in Kano, with activities covering skills training, mentorship, business development support and connections to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.