Shettima calls for collaboration on skills drive, hails Kaduna’s initiative

By Kunle Sanni –

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged stakeholders in Nigeria’s skills development sector to work together in advancing the Federal Government’s acquisition drive, declaring that “the era of operating in silos is over.”

Speaking at the 7th meeting of the National Council on Skills (NCS) on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Shettima said the skills revolution is a key component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and central to the administration’s promise of human capital development.

The Vice President commended Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for establishing and chairing the first Kaduna State Council on Skills, describing the move as exemplary and calling on other states to follow suit.

Shettima emphasised the need for harmony between government agencies, the private sector, and educational institutions in developing curricula, mobilising funding, and building a workforce capable of meeting national and global demands.

“The era of operating in silos is over. We must embed collaboration directly into the process of curriculum development and funding,” he said, stressing that institutional friction within the country’s skills ecosystem must no longer be allowed to hinder progress.

He added that the success of the skills revolution depends on inter-agency cooperation, saying, “We simply cannot build a future-ready workforce on a foundation of division.”

Earlier, Governor Uba Sani highlighted Kaduna’s recent admission of over 30,000 students into its Vocational and Skills Development Institute, reaffirming the state’s commitment to job creation.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, also commended Kaduna State’s role in promoting vocational training, disclosing that technical colleges nationwide have been directed to prioritise courses relevant to the government’s skills acquisition programme.