The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Lombardy Regional Government of Italy have agreed to collaborate on vocational education and agriculture to enhance youth empowerment and agricultural development in Abuja.
The partnership was announced on Thursday in a statement by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, following a meeting between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Attilio Fontana, the President of the Lombardy Regional Government, in Milan.
Fontana highlighted that the collaboration with the FCTA would focus on advancing agriculture, particularly through modern farming technologies.
Minister Wike expressed gratitude for the warm reception he and his team received from President Fontana. He emphasized the importance of the partnership, noting previous discussions with the Italian ambassador in Nigeria aimed at exchanging ideas and exploring opportunities with the Lombardy region.
Wike pointed out that the Lombardy region excels in agriculture and vocational education and expressed interest in attracting agricultural investors to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. He further emphasized the need for vocational education, particularly in ICT and other skills training, to empower youth and women.
He highlighted Abuja’s vast fertile land, with over 800,000 hectares available for development—274,000 hectares designated for agriculture and 270,000 hectares for forest reserves. Wike stressed that collaboration with the Lombardy Government would be crucial in driving agricultural growth in the region.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of vocational training, especially in ICT, as a means to provide self-employment, reduce youth unemployment, and combat crime.
