The National Authomative Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are set to train 300 youth corps members on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion by equipping them with skills that can translate into employment, preparing them for the world of the new automotive economy.
NADDC’s Director General, Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, said this would expose corps members to entrepreneurial opportunities as the government builds a pool of competent youths who can support the safe and sustainable expansion of the CNG ecosystem across Nigeria.
Osanipin announced this during the official flag-off of NADDC and the NYSC CNG retrofitting training under the NYSC SAED programme in Abuja. The NADDC’s boss explained that through the partnership with NYSC, the commission was taking technical skills development directly to a generation of young Nigerians who were already contributing to national development through the NYSC.
He said: ‘The ultimate measure of this programme will not simply be the number of corps members trained. Our success will be measured by what happens after the training. For this reason, NADDC will place greater emphasis on competency, certification, practical training, safety, and industry relevance.
‘Our objective is to ensure that those who pass through this programme are not merely holders of certificates, but are genuinely competent of applying their skills and knowledge in real-world situations. This training represents a deliberate step in translating the vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the government into practical opportunities for our young people. It is also a demonstration of what can be achieved when government institutions work together with a common purpose, align their mandates and place the Nigerian youth at the centre of national development.
‘The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles is an important component of this national response. It provides Nigeria with an opportunity to take advantage of a resource in which the country is richly endowed, ranking ninth globally and first in Africa, while providing a cleaner and potentially more affordable alternative for transportation’.
The DG urged the corps members to embrace this opportunity, as the CNG ecosystem would require engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs, installers, maintenance specialists, safety professionals, trainers, and business owners, stating that some of the corps members here may become leaders of major automotive enterprises tomorrow. Some may establish CNG conversion and maintenance industries, some may become instructors and technical experts, others may go on to develop innovations that will amaze the entire world that we cannot yet imagine.
Youth Development Minister Ayodele Olawande advised the corps members not to wait for white-collar jobs as he urged them to prepare for innovation and do all they can to succeed after youth service. He said they shall be given certification after the training, which will launch them into a great future.