Doro Unveils Plan to Train 12,000 Out-of-School Children, Seeks $20m Funding
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has announced plans to train 12,000 out-of-school children under a specialised skills development programme designed to improve their employment opportunities and economic independence.
Doro disclosed this on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting with a delegation from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria, led by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms. Sylvia Ekra.
The minister said the programme would adopt specialised teaching methods to accommodate children who might have outgrown the conventional school-learning stage.
He explained that participants would receive training and certification in specific vocational areas, equipping them with practical skills to secure jobs and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.
According to Doro, the initiative is expected to cost $20 million, adding that four foundations have indicated interest in supporting the programme.
He said the initiative formed part of the ministry’s broader strategy to reform humanitarian services and establish sustainable pathways for lifting vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty.
The minister also disclosed that the Federal Government was working towards implementing the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Reduction System (OHOPRS), which is awaiting approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
He described OHOPRS as a coordinated framework that would connect humanitarian assistance, social protection and poverty reduction interventions from the initial identification of beneficiaries to their eventual economic stabilisation.
Doro said the system would promote coordination among federal and subnational governments, ensuring that humanitarian interventions achieved greater impact.
He added that the ministry was developing 20 models to identify vulnerable populations and guide them through structured support programmes towards self-reliance.
The minister attributed the ministry’s reform agenda to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said prioritises poverty reduction and improved welfare for disadvantaged Nigerians.
He called on Nigerians living abroad to collaborate with the ministry in supporting vulnerable communities, stressing the importance of collective action in addressing poverty.
Doro further advocated the establishment of a National Economic Trust Fund to mobilise resources from the Federal Government, development partners and philanthropists for humanitarian services and poverty reduction programmes.
He commended IOM for its contributions to humanitarian development in Nigeria over the past 25 years and expressed hope for stronger collaboration in the years ahead.
Earlier, Ekra attributed IOM’s achievements in Nigeria to its longstanding partnership with the government and people of the country, particularly the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
She praised Doro’s vision and leadership, assuring the ministry of IOM’s willingness to support the implementation of OHOPRS and contribute to efforts to establish the proposed humanitarian trust fund.
Ekra expressed optimism that continued cooperation between the organisation and the ministry would strengthen humanitarian interventions and improve the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.
