The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has introduced a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) retrofitting training programme aimed at equipping Corps Members with practical skills that can create employment opportunities and expand their entrepreneurial prospects beyond their service year.
The initiative was unveiled during the opening ceremony of the CNG Retrofitting Training Programme for Corps Members, held at the NYSC FCT Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja.
The programme brings together the NYSC, the Ministry of Youth Development, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and other stakeholders as part of efforts to expose young Nigerians to emerging opportunities in the energy and automotive sectors.
CNG Training to Support Corps Members' Entrepreneurship
Speaking at the event, the Minister for Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the CNG training would help create additional employment opportunities for Corps Members and broaden their options for entrepreneurship after completing their mandatory service.
The Minister encouraged participating Corps Members to take full advantage of the training and acquire practical knowledge that could complement their academic qualifications.
He also stated that the Ministry would continue to support initiatives aimed at empowering young Nigerians and promoting entrepreneurship.
According to him, young people should explore cheaper and sustainable energy alternatives while developing practical skills that can complement their certificates and improve their economic opportunities.
NYSC DG Hails Inter-Agency Collaboration
The NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, described the CNG training initiative as an example of inter-agency collaboration and an indication of the Scheme's support for the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda.
The NYSC DG said the Scheme was prepared to contribute to Nigeria's energy transition and support efforts to equip young Nigerians with relevant skills.
He noted that the NYSC has, since 2012, trained more than 3 million Corps Members in different areas, including:
- Financial literacy
- Agro-allied skills
- Proposal writing
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Fashion design
- Other entrepreneurial and vocational skills
General Nafiu further stated that Corps Members now have increased opportunities to access financial support through the NYSC's collaborations with various partners.
CNG Programme to Bridge Skills Gap
According to the NYSC DG, the CNG retrofitting programme is intended to connect classroom knowledge with practical, real-world applications.
He described the initiative as supporting the development of an innovation-driven economy and said the NYSC was willing to work with relevant partners to create more opportunities for young Nigerians.
The programme is therefore expected to give participating Corps Members exposure to a specialised area of the emerging CNG industry while providing them with technical skills that could be useful after their service year.
Programme Targets 100,000 Vehicle Conversions Annually
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Youth Initiatives, Monitoring and Delivery, Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, explained that the initiative is designed to place Nigerian youths at the centre of the country's CNG transition.
She disclosed that the broader programme has a target of retrofitting 100,000 vehicles annually.
According to her, the training will be implemented across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, with 300 Corps Members expected to receive training under the programme.
The selected Corps Members are expected to become certified technicians and subsequently be attached to different CNG centres.
This arrangement is expected to provide the beneficiaries with practical exposure while also increasing the number of trained personnel available to support the growing CNG sector.
NADDC to Provide Certification Standards and Funding
Dr Gbadamosi also stated that the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) had committed its technical authority towards certification standards as well as full funding for the initiative.
The collaboration is intended to ensure that the training provides participants with relevant technical competencies and certification within the CNG retrofitting space.
The programme consequently combines youth empowerment with technical training in an emerging area of Nigeria's automotive and energy sectors.
CNG Industry Creating New Opportunities
The Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, said the partnership involving the NYSC and NADDC could provide benefits for Nigerians.
He noted that more CNG conversion centres have emerged over the past two years, alongside growing interest among Nigerians in vehicles powered by natural gas.
According to him, the CNG industry is one of the areas where new economic opportunities are developing.
He explained that stakeholders have a role to play in creating an enabling environment for the growth of CNG and electric mobility in Nigeria.
NADDC Says Training Supports Youth Development
The Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, described the CNG retrofitting training as a deliberate effort to turn the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda into practical opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said the collaboration represents an important attempt to position Nigerian youths at the centre of national development.
The involvement of the NADDC is also expected to support the technical and certification aspects of the programme as Corps Members receive training in CNG vehicle retrofitting.
What the CNG Training Means for Corps Members
The initiative could provide participating Corps Members with an opportunity to acquire a specialised technical skill while completing their national service.
Rather than relying solely on academic qualifications, the programme is designed to expose beneficiaries to practical knowledge in a sector where stakeholders say new opportunities are emerging.
For the selected Corps Members, becoming certified technicians and gaining exposure to CNG conversion centres could potentially provide a pathway towards employment or entrepreneurship after their service year.
The initiative also forms part of the broader emphasis on skills development and entrepreneurship for Nigerian youths through partnerships involving the NYSC and relevant government agencies.
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