How Chidi Duru’s SkillUpImo Blueprint is Creating Remote-Ready Workforce

By Ugo Aliogo

In a state once defined by underemployment and youth restlessness, a quiet tech revolution is spreading, and Chidi Duru is at the helm. His leadership in SkillUpImo is playing a significant role as the project lead at SkillUpImo.

SkillUpImo, a digital workforce initiative spearheaded by the Imo State Government initiated by Governor Hope Uzodinma to equip thousands of youths with in-demand digital skills.

It was designed through the Commissioner of Digital Economy and e-Government Dr Chimezie Amadi, to tackle one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: preparing its youth for meaningful employment in a digital-first economy.

Under Duru’s strategic leadership, the programme has become both a lifeline for job seekers and a model of how local innovation can align with global opportunity.

“Our model is simple,” Duru said. “Train them like Silicon Valley would, but right here at home.”

SkillUpImo’s curriculum goes far beyond teaching code. Participants choose from specialized tracks in Front-end Development, Back-end Development, UI/UX Design, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Mobile App Development, and Digital Marketing. Each pathway is tied to internationally recognised certifications from platforms like AWS Academy, Coursera, Cisco, Google Digital Garage, and Microsoft Azure.

The programme doesn’t just train for today’s jobs, it anticipates tomorrow’s. “We deliberately went beyond popular skills to include cybersecurity and data analytics, where global demand is exploding,” Duru explained. By embedding real-time work simulations, digital portfolio development, and even masterclasses on cross-border tax compliance, SkillUpImo ensures its graduates are not only employable but competitive.

“Technology levels the playing field. We just needed to give them the ball,” Duru noted at a 2023 stakeholders’ forum in Owerri.

A 2023 internal report showed that over 30 per cent of SkillUpImo graduates had secured freelance gigs or full-time remote roles within six months of completing the program. More than 3,000 participants have transitioned into tech careers across Nigeria and beyond, while 1,200+ earned certifications like Microsoft Azure Fundamentals and AWS Cloud Practitioner—credentials that instantly boosted their credibility in the job market.

Equally transformative is the income shift. Over 700 SkillUpImo alumni now earn steady USD-based income, with many supporting their families, paying tuition for siblings, or even launching their own training hubs.

“This is not just job training. It’s an economic revolution,” said Dr. Uzoamaka Emere, a policy analyst at the Center for Youth Development.

The program’s success is best seen through its participants.

“I used to sell recharge cards. Now I’m analysing customer churn data for an e-commerce firm in Lagos,” said Uche Emelogu, a Data Analytics graduate.

“I used to design posters for local weddings,” recalled Ijeoma Udeh, now working remotely as a product designer for a Berlin-based firm. “SkillUpImo taught me to think global.”

“SkillUpImo didn’t just teach me to design apps. It taught me to think like a tech founder,” added Grace Okonkwo, currently interning with a Canadian FinTech.

These testimonials underscore what numbers alone cannot: SkillUpImo is not just creating employees; it is nurturing innovators and entrepreneurs.

Unlike many training initiatives limited to urban elites, SkillUpImo was designed with inclusivity in mind. With training centers in all three senatorial districts of Imo State and remote options available, the program has ensured that geography or income is no barrier. Between 2023 and 2024 alone, more than 5,000 participants from low-income backgrounds enrolled, proving that talent is everywhere when given the right opportunity.

By integrating tools such as GitHub, Slack, Trello, Upwork, Deel, and Andela into training, the program exposes participants to the same workflows used in international tech firms. The outcome is a workforce that can step into remote roles seamlessly.

“We made sure they were job-ready, client-ready, and dollar-ready,” Duru emphasised.

SkillUpImo’s model is already being studied by other Nigerian states eager to replicate its success. With youth unemployment at crisis levels, the initiative offers a scalable blueprint for economic justice through digital literacy.

“In the next 10 years, we’ll need technicians who can fix autonomous vehicles or program industrial arms,” noted Dr. Okey Umeh, an automation consultant. “Codeant’s model is exactly what Africa needs.”

For Duru, the vision goes beyond Imo. If adopted nationally, SkillUpImo could democratize access to global opportunities, turning Nigeria’s youth bulge into its most powerful asset.