FG targets millions of youths for skills training, rallies global partners

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal Government has rallied global partners, industry leaders, and policymakers on Tuesday to boost skills acquisition for millions of Nigerian youths.

Vice President Kashim Shettima in a statement obtained on Tuesday from Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President) urged coordinated efforts to align training with job demands.

At the National Skills and Industry Alignment Roundtable Series (Q1 2026) in Abuja, themed “Bridging Skills Supply and Labour Market Demand,” Shettima, represented by Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, stressed the need for a unified system.

“Nigeria does not have a talent problem. Until skills meet industry demand, job creation will remain below its full potential,” he said.

The event, supported by the European Union, aims to shift from fragmented programs to actionable outcomes.

Shettima added, “We are moving away from fragmented programmes toward a more coherent national system—one where skills lead to jobs, jobs lead to enterprise, and enterprise drives economic growth.”

Housing Minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa highlighted skills needs in housing, while EU Head of Cooperation Massimo De Luca praised partnerships, “We grow skills where they matter, where they are required, and where they are defined.”

Participants included the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, and private sector reps, focusing on priority sectors for measurable job impacts.