No fewer than 26,961 unemployed Nigerians are set to benefit from the expanded phase of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI) as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) unveiled reforms aimed at improving transparency, expanding digital access and equipping participants with market-relevant skills.

Acting Director-General of the NDE, Mr Edmund Onwuliri, announced the expansion during a meeting of the Directorate’s Executive Management, Zonal Directors and State Coordinators in Abuja, where preparations for the nationwide rollout of the third phase of the initiative were concluded.

He said the new phase builds on the gains recorded in the earlier editions of the programme while introducing key reforms designed to make implementation more transparent, efficient and impactful.

Among the reforms, Onwuliri listed a fully digital registration and programme management system, an extension of the training period from three to six months, demand-driven skills acquisition, and a grassroots-based beneficiary selection process.

He charged Zonal Directors and State Coordinators to ensure strict compliance with the implementation guidelines, stressing that transparency, accountability, and efficiency would be critical to the programme’s success.

“The Directorate is committed to strengthening programme delivery by building on the successes and lessons learned from the previous phases of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative. We must ensure strict compliance with the implementation guidelines and uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and efficiency throughout the implementation process,” he said.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting disclosed that all applications for the new phase would be processed through an upgraded online registration portal, effectively ending manual registration and introducing a technology-driven process to improve programme administration and monitoring.

According to the communiqué, applicants who registered during the first and second phases but were not selected will have another opportunity to participate, as their National Identification Numbers (NINs) will be reactivated to enable them to submit fresh applications.

The Directorate added that the digital platform has also been designed to promote inclusion by automatically directing persons with disabilities to skills acquisition programmes tailored to their specific needs.

Providing further details, Director of Rural Employment Promotion and Chairman of the RHEI Implementation Committee, Mrs Omatsola Elizabeth, said the programme would not only train 26,961 unemployed Nigerians but also provide resettlement support for 3,405 outstanding beneficiaries to enable them to establish their businesses after completing their training.

She revealed that one of the major innovations under the expanded phase is an NDE-Timeterest partnership through which 10,000 beneficiaries will receive free Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training.

Elizabeth added that participants would also benefit from standardised training curricula and certification by the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial prospects.

She disclosed that implementation of the programme would run until 19 February 2027, while the nationwide flag-off has been scheduled for 4 August 2026.

The expanded initiative also introduces new market-oriented training packages across the Directorate’s departments in response to the growing demand for entrepreneurial, technical, and creative skills. Occupational Safety and Health standards will equally be integrated into all training activities to ensure safer learning and work environments.

The NDE further said it would intensify public awareness campaigns and grassroots mobilisation to ensure more unemployed Nigerians take advantage of the opportunities provided under the scheme.

The Renewed Hope Employment Initiative is one of the federal government’s flagship employment programmes aimed at tackling unemployment through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship development, and business support, with the latest phase expected to widen access to sustainable livelihood opportunities across the country. (The Sun)