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…Plans FIFA-approved children’s and youth football academy

Zeberced Group has unveiled an ambitious investment programme that will train 20,000 Nigerians through a world-class Technical and Vocational Training School while creating no fewer than 40,000 direct jobs, in what it describes as one of the largest skills development and industrial empowerment initiatives in West Africa.

The company also announced plans to establish a FIFA-approved football academy for children and young people to identify, nurture and develop football talents for national and international opportunities.

The Managing Director of Zeberced Group, Mr. Adil Aydin Kurt, disclosed this 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, where both organisations explored opportunities for strategic collaboration.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Kurt revealed that the proposed Technical and Vocational Training School would admit and train about 2,000 young Nigerians annually in various technical fields, with a projection of producing approximately 20,000 skilled graduates over the coming years.

He said the initiative would simultaneously create about 40,000 direct jobs, describing it as a transformational project designed to address unemployment, strengthen Nigeria’s industrial workforce and promote 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,” Mr. Kurt said.

According to the architectural design of the institution, the school will offer specialised training in Construction Technology, Machine and Design Technology, Motor Vehicle Technology, Plumbing Technology, Metal Technology, Furniture Technology, and Electrical and Electronics Technology.

Mr. Kurt said the institution is being developed to equip Nigerian youths with practical, industry-relevant skills that will prepare them for employment, self-reliance and entrepreneurship.

Reaffirming the company’s confidence in Nigeria’s future, he said Zeberced remains committed to long-term investments that will accelerate skills acquisition, industrialisation 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, Mr. Kurt disclosed that Zeberced Group is also developing a FIFA-approved football academy dedicated to discovering and grooming talented children and young people for professional football careers at both local and international levels.

He further revealed that the company operates what he described as Africa’s first integrated mining quarry of its kind while continuing to expand investments across manufacturing, construction and other strategic sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Outlining the company’s broader industrial vision, the Managing Director said Zeberced plans to facilitate the establishment of hundreds of factories within the Idu Industrial Area to boost local manufacturing, create employment opportunities and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported products.

According to him, the industrial development project, which commenced about 15 years ago, has faced several challenges but has continued to make steady progress through resilience and sustained investment.

He explained that the company’s investments in manufacturing, furniture production, plastics and related industries, supported by modern infrastructure and state-of-the-art equipment, would significantly contribute to Nigeria’s industrial transformation.

Mr. Kurt stressed that Zeberced’s corporate philosophy is anchored on creating sustainable value for Nigeria through strategic investments, technology transfer, skills development and large-scale job creation.

Responding, the 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 company’s 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 agenda.

Comrade Ike also briefed the company’s management on the Council’s ongoing ultra-modern Congress Hall project, which has reached the decking stage.

She appealed for Zeberced Group’s support towards the completion of the facility, explaining that the Congress Hall would provide a permanent venue for congresses, professional engagements, training programmes and other official activities of the NUJ FCT Council.

In response, Mr. Kurt expressed Zeberced Group’s willingness to support the project, reaffirming the company’s commitment to partnerships that strengthen institutions and contribute to national development.

The visit concluded with both organisations expressing optimism about building a strategic relationship that would promote industrial growth, youth development, professional capacity building and sustainable socio-economic development in Nigeria.

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