FG to audit skills centres nationwide, as Shettima seeks urgent workforce reforms

By Kunle Sanni –

The federal government has announced plans to conduct a nationwide audit of skills training centres across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to overhaul the nation’s skills infrastructure and bridge workforce gaps.

Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed the plan during the 6th meeting of the National Council on Skills (NCS), held Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He described the skills gap as a critical national challenge requiring urgent and coordinated action to equip Nigerians for a rapidly evolving economy.

“We need to fill in the skills gap. What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. We have to make this country work,” Shettima stated, stressing the Council’s mandate to develop a strategic, skilled workforce to drive economic transformation.

A key resolution from the meeting was the proposed National Skills Infrastructure Audit, aimed at creating a centralised database of government-owned training centres. The audit will involve physical verification of facilities, assess their operational status, and identify overlaps or infrastructure gaps.

It will also ensure that training programmes align with national occupational standards and labour market needs, positioning the country to meet present and future employment demands.

“The government’s policy direction is clear: to strengthen human capital through skills development. But this vision cannot be achieved unless the training infrastructure across MDAs is harmonised and fully functional,” the council noted.

Earlier, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, presented the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP), an initiative aimed at training 10,000 artisans annually in high-demand construction trades.

Dangiwa said the programme would formalise the informal artisan sector by certifying skilled workers and onboarding them onto a digital platform that connects them with employment opportunities across the country.