WorldStage– In a strategic shift toward non-kinetic solutions, the Presidency has announced the expansion of its skills acquisition and entrepreneurship training programmes aimed at addressing the root socioeconomic drivers of insecurity across the country.
The initiative was revealed on Wednesday in Abuja during a high-level strategic meeting between Dr. Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE), and Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka A. Famadewa (Rtd), Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security.
A Non-Kinetic Approach to Crime Prevention
The collaboration brings together the TVEE office and the Office of the Special Adviser on Homeland Security to design complementary measures that integrate conventional law enforcement with economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.
According to Dr. Arogundade, the partnership is explicitly structured to steer vulnerable youths away from criminality by offering viable economic alternatives.
“This partnership seeks to strengthen cooperation between both offices in empowering our people, broadening their awareness, and creating sustainable opportunities for their positive engagement,” Arogundade stated. “Through these collective efforts, we aim to steer them away from crime and criminality while fostering a safer, more enlightened, and empowered society.”
Bridging Education and National Security
Under the proposed framework, vocational and technical education will be leveraged to reduce the vulnerability of unemployed and economically disadvantaged youths who are often targeted by criminal networks exploiting poverty and social exclusion. By linking skills development directly to homeland security objectives, the initiative intends to boost community resilience and long-term social stability.
Maj.-Gen. Famadewa emphasized the necessity of a holistic security framework that goes beyond kinetic operations to address underlying socioeconomic triggers. He noted that while his office continues to prioritize unified intelligence, enhanced border security, threat identification, and rapid-response protocols, economic inclusion remains a vital pillar for lasting peace.
Aligning with Tinubu’s Vision
The new collaborative effort underscores President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader administrative agenda to intertwine education, economic growth, and national security. By scaling up entrepreneurship and vocational training, the administration seeks to construct durable pathways to sustainable livelihoods and foster enduring peacebuilding across Nigeria.
