By Citizenship Newspaper
Eighteen young Nigerians have been selected through a competitive process to commence the process for participation in a Dual Vocational Training programme in Germany.
The Chief Executive Officer of IHK Giessen-Friedberg Chambers of Commerce in Germany, organisers of the training, Dr. Matthias Leder, disclosed this when some executives of the chamber paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande in his office in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dr. Leder stated that a total of 300 Nigerians applied for the training programme, out of which 18 participants were selected through a rigorous screening process.
“We have made competition in which 300 Nigerians participated in a two-stage competition and we selected the best 18 and they have already started very successful to learn German.
“The idea is that they will finish this level of B2 then they are able to speak fluent German and they are able to participate in the Dual Vocational Training together with German students,” he said.
According to Dr. Leder, the 18 selected participants will serve as a pilot group for the scheme in the hospitality industry. He added that upon the successful implementation of this phase, the Chamber will expand the scale and scope of the programme to provide skills training across various sectors with high demand for qualified manpower in Germany.
He explained that at the commencement of the programme, participants would undergo a combination of classroom instruction and practical industry training, during which they would receive stipends — rising to as much as 1000 euros monthly in the third year of the programme.
Dr. Leader said Nigeria is blessed with talented youths and with proper training, they would help in bridging the skilled manpower gap in Germany.
“Your country has more than 60% of people younger than 30 years and in Germany, it’s just vice-versa. More than 60% of the population are older than 30 years. This means we have a lack of young talented people and you have a lot of young people who would like to have qualifications. So the idea is to combine this two effects. To give young Nigerians the opportunity of learning German and then afterwards to invite them to receive Dual Vocational Training,” he said.
He believed that this is a more dignified approach to work abroad instead of spending thousands of dollars on illegal migration.
The CEO said between 2012 and 2018, 600 trainers and trainees were supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Giessen-Friedberg with vocational training in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Ogun State Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OCUNCCIMA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigerian German Business Association (NGBA).
He said they are also focussed on institutional enrichment of the Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria to position them as one of the major drivers of the Nigerian economy.
In his remarks, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Olawande, said, the Federal Government has unveiled plans to empower at least seven million Nigerian youths through dual vocational training and digital skills development programmes.
He explained that the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to equipping young Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant skills that foster self-reliance, innovation, and employability.
The Minister noted that the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA), is strengthening partnerships with German and Nigerian institutions to expand access to vocational and digital training opportunities, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for youth empowerment.
“Our goal is not just to produce job seekers but to nurture innovators and entrepreneurs who will contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy,” the Minister stated.
The delegation of the IHK Giessen-Friedberg Chambers of Commerce of Germany, which was led on the visit by the former Minister of Information and Culture and Managing Partner of Bruit Costaud, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, comprised: Marina França Leder, wife of the CEO; Tim Müller, Deputy Director, Foreign Trade; Norbert Noisser, Senior Advisor Africa/China and Dr. Kristen Albrecht, Head of Competence Centre Africa.
