By: Onaolapo Olalekan Oduola
The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Lagos State Chapter, has trained 82 young people in footwear production under its Summer Tech Youth Empowerment Programme, equipping participants with foundational leatherworks skills while calling for stronger partnerships to sustain the initiative.
LAGOS, Nigeria — The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Lagos State Chapter, has recorded a significant milestone in its youth empowerment drive by providing practical leatherworks training to 82 participants, with a focus on footwear production, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.
The training, organised as part of the Assembly’s Summer Tech Youth Empowerment Programme, was designed to address youth unemployment, promote productive engagement and equip young people with practical skills that could serve as a pathway to self-employment and economic independence.
Participants received introductory training in the production of flip-flops, slides and luxury sandals, with particular emphasis on craftsmanship, creativity, finishing and quality standards necessary to compete in the footwear market.
The initiative reflects the Assembly’s commitment to complementing conventional education with vocational training that can help young people explore alternative career paths, establish small businesses and contribute to economic development.
Owolabi Leads Leatherworks Training
The leatherworks training was facilitated by His Youthfulness, Rt. Hon. Kassim Sharafadin Owolabi, Speaker-Elect of the Fifth Legislative Session of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter.
Owolabi provided technical guidance and practical instruction to participants, introducing them to fundamental footwear-making techniques and the craftsmanship required to produce different categories of footwear.
His involvement highlights the potential of youth leadership to extend beyond advocacy and legislative engagement to practical interventions that promote skills development, mentorship and community advancement.
The programme also underscores the importance of harnessing the professional knowledge and experience of youth leaders to create opportunities that directly benefit young people.
According to the initiative's objectives, equipping participants with vocational competencies is expected to broaden their understanding of entrepreneurship and encourage them to explore productive ventures within the fashion, retail and leather goods industries.
Vocational Skills as a Response to Youth Unemployment
The training comes amid continuing concerns over youth unemployment and the need to expand access to practical skills that can improve economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
Footwear production offers potential opportunities for self-employment through customised designs, small-scale manufacturing, retail distribution and participation in the wider fashion and leather goods value chain.
With further practice, access to appropriate equipment, business development support and reliable market connections, the beneficiaries could build on the foundational knowledge acquired during the programme to develop viable businesses.
The Assembly believes that vocational empowerment can help young people channel their energy into productive activities while developing the competencies required to participate meaningfully in the economy.
Beyond immediate skills acquisition, initiatives of this nature can encourage creativity, self-reliance and enterprise development, particularly when participants receive sustained support after completing their training.
Inadequate Sponsorship Limits Post-Training Support
Despite the successful training of 82 participants, inadequate sponsorship and limited collaboration presented a significant challenge, preventing the provision of tools and equipment to beneficiaries at the end of the programme.
Consequently, participants were unable to receive the necessary take-home tools that would have enabled them to practise independently and further develop their newly acquired skills immediately after the training.
The shortfall highlights a critical challenge facing vocational empowerment initiatives: practical training alone may not deliver its full potential when beneficiaries lack the equipment and resources needed to apply their knowledge.
For participants who cannot independently afford the necessary tools, the absence of post-training support could limit their ability to progress from basic instruction to sustained practice and eventual business development.
The experience has therefore reinforced the need for empowerment programmes to incorporate adequate funding, equipment provision, mentorship and follow-up support into their planning and implementation.
The Lagos State Chapter of YAN has expressed hope that future editions of the programme will benefit from stronger sponsorship arrangements, increased private-sector participation and more effective partnerships with relevant stakeholders.
Lagos YAN Seeks Stronger Partnerships
The Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, has called on government agencies, corporate organisations, financial institutions, footwear manufacturers, leather industry practitioners, development organisations and philanthropic bodies to support future vocational empowerment initiatives.
Potential areas of collaboration include financial sponsorship, donations of tools and equipment, technical partnerships, mentorship programmes and opportunities for enterprise development.
Such partnerships, the Assembly believes, would help bridge the gap between skills acquisition and practical application, enabling beneficiaries to translate their training into productive economic activities.
Support from industry practitioners could also expose participants to market trends, professional standards and business practices that may improve their prospects of establishing sustainable ventures.
The Assembly maintains that effective youth empowerment should go beyond organising training sessions to creating an enabling environment in which beneficiaries can practise their skills, access markets, generate income and potentially employ others.
Beyond Training: Building Sustainable Livelihoods
The training of 82 young people represents an important step in expanding access to vocational skills and promoting entrepreneurship among youths in Lagos State.
However, the challenge of providing participants with the tools required to practise their craft underscores the importance of linking skills acquisition programmes with the resources necessary to sustain their impact.
For the beneficiaries, access to appropriate equipment and continued technical guidance could make a significant difference in turning the knowledge acquired during the training into practical experience and income-generating opportunities.
The Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening future programmes, improving stakeholder collaboration and advocating more comprehensive approaches to youth development.
It also urged stakeholders to regard youth empowerment as a continuing investment in human capital, enterprise development and social progress rather than a one-off intervention.
The initiative's central message is that training lays the foundation, access to tools enables practical application, and sustained support creates opportunities for skills to develop into viable livelihoods.
With stronger partnerships and adequate resources, the 82 participants could build on the foundation provided by the programme to pursue careers in footwear production, establish small businesses and contribute to the economic growth of Lagos State.
Empowering Youth. Building Skills. Creating Opportunities.
ISSUED BY:
Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN)
Lagos State Chapter
Office of the Speaker-Elect
Rt. Hon. Kassim Sharafadin Owolabi
Speaker-Elect, Fifth Legislative Session
Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter
Media and Publicity Unit
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