Tantita, Maton empower 5,000 Niger Delta youths through skills initiative

Africa’s Hub for Skill and Enterprise Development (AHSED), in partnership with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, has empowered more than 5,000 young people in Delta and Bayelsa states through the Secure the Pipeline, Secure the Future and Establish the Future project, otherwise known as Project SSE.

The skills acquisition and entrepreneurship initiative aims to tackle unemployment and promote economic inclusion in the Niger Delta.

Within one year, the programme has equipped beneficiaries with vocational, entrepreneurial, employability and life skills, earning commendation from community leaders, youth groups and development stakeholders as a practical response to unemployment, poverty and youth restiveness.

Speaking on the programme’s impact, the General Manager of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Mr Barry Wonder, said the initiative was conceived as a long-term investment in human capital rather than a conventional corporate social responsibility project.

“The vision behind Project SSE extends far beyond conventional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),” he said, adding that the objective is “to create lasting opportunities capable of transforming lives and strengthening communities.”

According to Wonder, Tantita and Maton deliberately invested in skills development because empowering young people with practical competencies remains one of the most effective ways to combat unemployment, reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth.

He said that, instead of short-term charitable interventions, the companies adopted a sustainable development model that equips participants with vocational skills, entrepreneurial knowledge, employability skills, leadership capacity and the right mindset to thrive in today’s economy.

Wonder added that Project SSE was designed “not only to provide skills, but also to build confidence, encourage innovation, and prepare young people to become employers of labour, business owners, and productive contributors to national development.”

He expressed satisfaction with the programme’s impact, noting that thousands of beneficiaries were already applying their new skills to improve their livelihoods and create value in their communities.

Development experts say the initiative marks a shift from traditional CSR interventions to strategic investments that deliver measurable socio-economic outcomes by addressing the root causes of youth unemployment and economic exclusion.

Stakeholders also described the programme’s expansion into Bayelsa State as evidence of its growing acceptance, saying it has promoted social stability by creating opportunities for productive youth engagement, while supporting peace, community development and sustainable economic growth across the Niger Delta.

With more than 5,000 beneficiaries reached and plans for further expansion, Project SSE is increasingly recognised as a model for public-private collaboration in human capital development and a significant contribution to building a skilled and economically empowered workforce in the region.