Zeberced Unveils Mega Investment to Train 2,000 Nigerians, Create 40,000 Jobs, Launch FIFA-Approved Football Academy

By Iyojo Ameh

Zeberced Group has announced an ambitious investment drive aimed at training 2,000 Nigerians in technical and vocational skills while creating 40,000 direct jobs, as part of a broad strategy to boost industrialisation, youth empowerment and economic growth in Nigeria.

The company also unveiled plans to establish a FIFA-approved football academy to discover and nurture talented children and young people for professional football careers in Nigeria and abroad.

Managing Director of Zeberced Group, Mr. Adil Aydin Kurt, disclosed the plans 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.

Kurt said the centrepiece of the investment is a world-class Technical and Vocational Training School designed to equip Nigerian youths with practical, industry-relevant skills needed in today’s industrial economy.

According to him, the institution will admit about 2,000 trainees annually, producing an estimated 20,000 skilled graduates over the coming years while generating about 40,000 direct jobs.

Describing the initiative as one of the largest of its kind in West Africa, Kurt said the project would significantly reduce unemployment, strengthen Nigeria’s skilled workforce and encourage entrepreneurship.

“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,” he said.

The proposed institution will provide specialised training in Construction Technology, Machine and Design Technology, Motor Vehicle Technology, Plumbing Technology, Metal Technology, Furniture Technology, and Electrical and Electronics Technology.

Kurt said the company remains confident in Nigeria’s economic potential and is committed to making long-term investments that will accelerate skills development, technology transfer and industrial growth.

“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 Zeberced boss announced plans to establish a FIFA-approved football academy that will identify and develop young football talents for opportunities at both national and international levels.

He also revealed that the company operates what he described as Africa’s first integrated mining quarry of its kind and continues to expand investments in manufacturing, construction and other strategic sectors.

As part of its long-term industrial vision, Kurt said Zeberced intends to facilitate the establishment of hundreds of factories within the Idu Industrial Area to strengthen local manufacturing, create employment and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported goods.

He explained that although the industrial development project began about 15 years ago and encountered several challenges, the company has remained committed to its implementation through sustained investment.

According to him, Zeberced’s expanding investments in manufacturing, furniture production, plastics and related industries, backed by modern infrastructure and advanced technology, will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s industrial transformation.

He stressed that the company’s philosophy is centred on creating sustainable value through strategic investments, human capital development, technology transfer and large-scale job creation.

Responding, NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, commended the company for investing in youth development and skills acquisition, describing the vocational training initiative as a timely intervention capable of tackling unemployment and supporting Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

She also briefed the management on the Council’s ongoing ultra-modern Congress Hall project, which has reached the decking stage, and appealed for Zeberced Group’s support towards its completion.

According to her, the facility will serve as a permanent venue for congresses, professional engagements, capacity-building programmes and other official activities of the Council.

In response, 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 forging a strategic partnership to advance industrial growth, youth empowerment, professional development and sustainable socio-economic progress in Nigeria.

Zeberced Group has operated in Nigeria since 2007, with investments spanning manufacturing, construction, industrial infrastructure and human capital development.