Zeberced Group has announced plans to train 20,000 Nigerians through a world-class Technical and Vocational Training School while creating about 40,000 direct jobs as part of a major investment programme aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s industrial workforce and tackling youth unemployment.
The company also unveiled plans to establish a FIFA-approved football academy for children and young people to discover and nurture football talents for local and international opportunities.
The Managing Director of Zeberced Group, Mr. Adil Aydin Kurt, disclosed the initiatives during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, led by its Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, to the company’s facilities at the Abuja Industrial Park Free Zone.
According to Kurt, the proposed Technical and Vocational Training School will admit about 2,000 young Nigerians annually, with a long-term target of producing approximately 20,000 skilled graduates across various technical disciplines.
He said the project, described as one of the largest of its kind in West Africa, is designed to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap, promote entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities.
“Zeberced is currently working on a vocational training school which will offer training in various fields to young Nigerians and, in the process, provide 40,000 direct jobs. This is going to be a sample project and is presently the biggest operation of its kind in West Africa,” Kurt said.
He explained that the institution would provide specialised training in Construction Technology, Machine and Design Technology, Motor Vehicle Technology, Plumbing Technology, Metal Technology, Furniture Technology, as well as Electrical and Electronics Technology.
According to him, the school is being developed to equip young Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant skills that will prepare them for employment, self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
Kurt reaffirmed the company’s confidence in Nigeria’s economic potential, noting that Zeberced remains committed to long-term investments that will accelerate industrialisation, technology transfer and human capital development.
“We are very serious about our work. I have many ideas and visions to share. We need to bring qualified people from different parts of the world to Nigeria because the future is Africa,” he stated.
Beyond technical education, the Managing Director disclosed that the company is also developing a FIFA-approved football academy to identify and groom talented children and youths for professional football careers.
He further revealed that Zeberced operates what he described as Africa’s first integrated mining quarry of its kind and is expanding investments across manufacturing, construction and other strategic sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Kurt also outlined plans to facilitate the establishment of hundreds of factories within the Idu Industrial Area to boost local manufacturing, create jobs and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported products.
He explained that although the industrial development project, which commenced about 15 years ago, had encountered several challenges, the company remained committed to its vision through sustained investments.
According to him, Zeberced’s investments in manufacturing, furniture production, plastics and related industries, backed by modern infrastructure and advanced equipment, will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
He stressed that the company’s corporate philosophy is centred on creating sustainable value through strategic investments, skills development, technology transfer and large-scale job creation.
Speaking during the visit, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, commended Zeberced Group for its commitment to youth empowerment, skills acquisition and national development.
She described the proposed vocational training institution and industrial expansion as timely interventions capable of addressing unemployment, promoting self-reliance among young Nigerians and supporting the country’s economic diversification efforts.
Ike also briefed the company’s management on the Council’s ultra-modern Congress Hall project, which she said has reached the decking stage, and appealed for Zeberced Group’s support towards its completion.
Responding, Kurt expressed the company’s readiness to support the project, reaffirming Zeberced’s commitment to partnerships that strengthen institutions and promote national development.
The visit ended with both organisations expressing optimism about building a strategic partnership focused on industrial growth, youth development, professional capacity building and sustainable socio-economic development in Nigeria.
Zeberced Group has operated in Nigeria since 2007, with investments spanning manufacturing, construction, industrial infrastructure and human capital development.
