Ododo Sponsors Digital Fashion Training For 315 Kogi Youths Across 21 LGAs

The Kogi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, has sponsored a digital fashion design and creative enterprise training programme for 315 youths drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state, in a move aimed at promoting youth empowerment, digital innovation and economic self-reliance.

The programme, known as the HERMark Fashion Digital Designing Training Programme, is being managed by THE-YEM Fashion Home in Lokoja under the Renewed Hope Youth and Household-Inclusive Digital Design and Creative Enterprise Initiative.

The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between traditional fashion designing and emerging digital technologies, equipping young people with practical skills to explore new opportunities in fashion, online entrepreneurship and the global digital economy.

Speaking during the training programme in Lokoja, the Chief Executive Officer and Project Lead of the HERMark Initiative, Opoyemi Bamijoko Alonge, said the 315 participants were selected from across the state’s 21 local government areas, with 15 beneficiaries drawn from each council.

Alonge explained that the initiative was conceived to expose young people in Kogi State to the digital aspects of fashion design, noting that many practitioners in the state still rely largely on conventional methods.

According to her, the changing nature of the fashion industry makes it imperative for young designers to acquire digital skills that will enable them to design, market and sell their products without necessarily maintaining a physical shop.

She said, “Digital fashion design means that the world is changing. You acquire a skill that you can use to make money even from the comfort of your home. Even if you do not have the money to rent a shop, you can use your computer or phone to design and sell.”

Alonge disclosed that her experience and training through the United Nations over a period of two years inspired her decision to give backto society by extending digital fashion design opportunities to young people.

She recalled that a similar initiative was implemented during the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello, although it covered only one local government area at the time.

According to her, the present programme represents an expansion of that effort, with beneficiaries now drawn from all 21 local government areas of Kogi State.

She described the earlier edition as impactful, explaining that the government provided machines and financial support of ₦500,000 to each beneficiary, helping them establish and develop their businesses.

The project lead expressed optimism that the present cohort would receive similar institutional support to enable participants to maximise the opportunities offered by the training.

She commended the enthusiasm of the participants and appealed to the state government and other relevant stakeholders to provide additional support to strengthen their learning experience and business prospects.

Also speaking, Oluwaseun Aiyejoto Alabi, Consultant and Lead Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the HERMark programme at MOTRAC Global Resources Limited, said the project was structured to deliver more than basic vocational training.

Alabi explained that the consulting firm adopted a framework built around continuity, sustainability, scalability and artificial intelligence to ensure that the beneficiaries would be adequately prepared to compete beyond Kogi State.

He said the objective was to develop a new generation of digitally skilled fashion designers who could establish sustainable businesses, access opportunities in the freelance economy and position themselves for potential funding and collaborations beyond their immediate communities.

According to him, the programme combines practical fashion design skills with artificial intelligence, digital tools, business development and freelancing, while also providing participants with guidance on transitioning into the economy.

Alabi noted that the organisers were determined to ensure that the beneficiaries emerged not merely as trainees but as capable entrepreneurs who could create opportunities for others.

He disclosed that the programme’s sustainability model would require every beneficiary, after completing the initial training, to return to their respective communities and train an additional 10 people over two weeks.

Under the arrangement, each participant is expected to establish a group of 10 trainees, thereby extending the benefits of the programme to an additional 3,150 people if all 315 beneficiaries complete the planned outreach.

He said the model would help spread digital fashion design skills across the state while creating a continuous chain of knowledge transfer and community-based enterprise development.

Alabi further revealed that some instructors facilitating the current training were beneficiaries of the first cohort who had developed their businesses and gained experience through the earlier programme.

He said their participation demonstrated the potential of the initiative to produce skilled professionals who could subsequently contribute to the development of others.

The consultant explained that the training schedule had also been designed to remain engaging and practical, combining classroom instruction, demonstrations, hands-on exercises and digital learning sessions.

He added that the involvement of instructors who are actively engaged in the industry would help participants gain relevant knowledge while ensuring that the programme remained flexible and responsive to their learning needs.

Describing the programme’s approach to community development, Alabi highlighted the organisers’ guiding principle: “You see, you try, and then you share.”

He explained that beneficiaries would first learn the skills, practise them and subsequently share their knowledge with other young people in their communities.

The HERMark Digital Fashion Designing Training Programme is expected to contribute to youth empowerment in Kogi State by expanding access to digital skills, promoting entrepreneurship and encouraging young people to turn creative talent into sustainable economic opportunities.

With its emphasis on practical learning, digital innovation, and community-level knowledge transfer, the initiative seeks to establish a model in which the impact of government-sponsored training extends beyond the initial beneficiaries to reach thousands of other young people across the state.

Atabor Julius is a correspondent with Independent Newspapers.

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