The Federal Government has commended Germany for supporting Nigeria’s efforts to curb irregular migration through skills acquisition and vocational training aimed at empowering youths with employable skills and promoting structured labour mobility.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, gave the commendation Thursday in Abuja while receiving Dr Matthias Leder, Chief Executive Officer of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Giessen-Friedberg.
Dingyadi said the partnership would promote legal labour migration, strengthen vocational education, and create meaningful employment opportunities for Nigerian youths seeking to enhance their skills and contribute to national development.
“This initiative aligns with our commitment to equip young people with practical, employable skills.
“It’s a win-win for Nigeria and Germany, reducing irregular migration among job-seeking youths,” the minister said.
He reiterated the government’s determination to strengthen technical and vocational education as a sustainable pathway toward productive employment, entrepreneurship, and lawful migration channels beneficial to both countries.
Dingyadi said Nigeria was ready to deepen collaboration with the German Chambers of Commerce to promote structured migration through training exchanges and professional development initiatives between the two nations.
He highlighted Germany’s dual vocational training model, combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience, as a system Nigeria hoped to adopt to enhance its workforce development framework.
The minister commended the selection of 18 young Nigerians for the pilot phase of the dual vocational training programme in Germany, describing it as a milestone for legal migration.
Earlier, Leder said the initiative was part of Germany’s plan to promote legal migration through technical training and bilateral cooperation on workforce development.
He explained that 300 Nigerian youths were shortlisted for the programme, with only 18 selected after completing a rigorous two-stage competition involving aptitude tests and interviews.
He added that participants would earn while learning under the dual system, combining technical education with on-the-job training to gain both income and valuable career experience.
