Effectiveness of Capacity Development and Skill Acquisition Programmes in Promoting Self-Employment Among Youths in Akwa Ibom State

This study examined the effect of capacity development and skill acquisition programmes on promoting self-employment among youths in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 384 respondents, with 338 retrieved representing an 88 percent response rate. Descriptive and regression analyses were employed. Findings revealed that the programmes positively influenced self-employment, with 76.7 percent of respondents acquiring skills for business startup and 79.0 percent expressing overall satisfaction. However, post-training support covering mentorship and finance access was the weakest area with 64.8 percent positive response. The regression model showed a very strong positive relationship with a correlation coefficient of 0.864, with capacity development explaining 74.7 percent of the variance in self-employment and exerting a significant positive effect with a beta coefficient of 0.793 and p value of 0.000. The study concluded that capacity development significantly promotes self-employment but requires enhanced post-training support. Recommendations include strengthening mentorship networks, improving training infrastructure, and instituting business monitoring to ensure sustainability and broader employment impact.