Govt rallies global partners to deepen skills
The Federal Government yesterday rallied global development partners, industry leaders and policymakers to deepen investment in its skills acquisition drive targeting millions of Nigerian youths, as part of efforts to
- EU, private sector back alignment pushes for economic growth
- From Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday rallied global development partners, industry leaders and policymakers to deepen investment in its skills acquisition drive targeting millions of Nigerian youths, as part of efforts to boost job creation and economic growth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who declared open the National Skills and Industry Alignment Roundtable Series (Q1 2026) in Abuja, called for clarity, collaboration and coordinated results among stakeholders to ensure that skills development translates into sustainable employment.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the Vice President emphasised the need to move towards a coherent national system where skills lead to jobs, jobs to enterprise, and enterprise drives economic growth.
According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said “this tells us one thing very clearly—the challenge is not simply job creation; it is alignment. Nigeria does not have a talent problem. Until skills meet industry demand, job creation will remain below its full potential”.
The roundtable, themed “Bridging Skills Supply and Labour Market Demand,” was convened by the Office of the Vice President with support from the European Union (EU).
Shettima noted that Nigeria, with one of the largest youth populations globally, faces the challenge of an expanding labour force where many available jobs remain informal and disconnected from productivity and growth.
He said the Tinubu administration is shifting away from fragmented programmes and uncoordinated interventions towards a structured system that aligns training with industry needs.
“We are moving away from fragmented programmes, isolated interventions, and uncoordinated investments toward a more coherent national system—one where skills lead to jobs, jobs lead to enterprise, and enterprise drives economic growth,” he stated.
The Vice President disclosed that the Office of the Vice President, with EU support, had previously mapped Nigeria’s job creation ecosystem and convened a National High-Level Policy Dialogue on Job Creation, which underscored the need for private sector leadership in employment generation.
Read Also: Blackout: NISO releases 2,793 mw to 11 DisCos
He stressed that sustainable job creation cannot be driven by government alone, urging the private sector to actively participate as co-creators of the workforce by clearly defining required skills and engaging in training processes.
“Job creation cannot be outsourced to government alone—industry must take its place at the table, not just as employers but as co-creators of the workforce Nigeria needs,” he added.
Shettima also called on development partners to go beyond funding and focus on strengthening coordination, alignment and scaling of effective programmes.
“The time for fragmented action is over. What we are seeking is simple—clarity, collaboration, and results,” he said.
In his remarks, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, said the initiative was critical to addressing the country’s housing deficit, noting that the sector requires a wide range of skilled professionals across the value chain.
He explained that from architects and engineers to artisans such as bricklayers, housing development presents opportunities for job creation if properly aligned with skills training.
Also speaking, the EU Head of Cooperation for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s skills development and job creation agenda.
He said the EU, in collaboration with partners including the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is focused on fostering practical, demand-driven skills within Nigeria’s production system.
“We grow skills where they matter, where they are required, and where they are defined,” De Luca said, commending efforts to integrate programmes like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative into a broader national ecosystem.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination, Mr Akubo Adegbe, described the roundtable as a structured platform designed to strengthen coordination across Nigeria’s job creation ecosystem and drive measurable outcomes.
Participants at the event included representatives of the organised private sector, development partners such as the German Agency for International Cooperation, as well as the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
