The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Borno State Government, has launched a vocational training programme to empower 1,033 children affected by armed conflict in the state.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday in Maiduguri, UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, said the initiative aims to equip the beneficiaries with practical, market-oriented skills such as tailoring, ICT, car mechanics, shoemaking, and carpentry.
Saeed, represented by UNICEF Child Protection Manager, Shah Mohammad Khan, noted that many children and adolescents in the region, particularly girls, have been deprived of opportunities to learn skills or pursue their aspirations due to years of insurgency.
“Conflict has not only weakened the national economy but also eroded family incomes and the earning capacity of young people,” she said.
She added that the prolonged insurgency in the Northeast has subjected children to abductions, sexual violence, and other grave abuses, while depriving families of their means of livelihood.
According to her, the training will integrate vocational and life skills, psychosocial support, and official certification to enable participants to build sustainable livelihoods.
Also speaking, the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abba Wakilbe, commended UNICEF and other UN agencies, including UNDP, IOM, and UNODC, for their collaboration on the project. He described the initiative as life-changing for many children who were victims of abduction and forced recruitment by insurgents.
In a related development, on October 4, 2025, UNICEF donated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to the Sokoto State Operations Coordinating Unit to enhance social protection efforts.
During the presentation in Sokoto, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Michel Juma, said the donation was aimed at strengthening the National Social Register and improving the identification and support of poor and vulnerable individuals across the state.
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