NYSC Expands SAED Programme with CNG Retrofitting Training

The National Youth Service Corps has entered into a partnership with the National Automotive Design and Development Council to integrate Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) retrofitting training into the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

Speaking during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja, NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, said the collaboration would expand vocational opportunities for Corps Members and equip them with practical skills needed in Nigeria’s growing energy transition sector. He noted that the SAED programme, established in 2012, has trained over 1.5 million Corps Members in various vocations nationwide.

General Nafiu said the NYSC would provide orientation camps, training venues and administrative support for the programme, while expressing confidence that the initiative would produce certified CNG technicians across the country.

Director General of NADDC, Otunba Joseph Osanipin, stated that the council would deploy its technical expertise to ensure the training meets the highest professional standards. He added that the initial three-year partnership reflects the council’s strong commitment to youth empowerment and job creation.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s energy transition agenda and would help develop market-ready vocational skills among Nigerian youths.

Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the collaboration could create about 5,000 jobs for young Nigerians. He urged youths to use their service year productively by acquiring practical skills capable of generating employment opportunities.