Benue opens applications for federal digital skills-to-jobs scheme

The Benue State Government has invited young residents to apply for the iDICE Skills-to-Jobs programme, a federal digital skills initiative run in partnership with state governments.

The announcement was made through the state government's official account on X, which said applications are free and directed applicants to the programme's website to register. Eligibility extends to young people living in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory. The scheme is presented as a route from training into employment, covering digital skills that employers are currently hiring for, with placement support at the end of the course.

The wider iDICE initiative is a federal effort to develop Nigeria's technology and creative industries by building the skills base needed to work in them. For Benue, where formal employment is dominated by the state civil service and agriculture, the appeal of remote digital work is that it does not depend on local hiring. Whether the programme delivers jobs rather than certificates will depend on the placement arrangements after training, which the announcement did not detail.