The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young Nigerians through skill acquisition and job creation under the National Artisans Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP).
Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, disclosed this while receiving a delegation from the University of Uyo Centre for Skills Acquisition and Rural Development, led by its Director, Ambassador Ernest Essien.
Ata said the ministry is ready to collaborate with the Centre to equip young Nigerians with practical skills and resources needed to close the labour gap and strengthen the nation’s housing and infrastructure sectors. He noted that the partnership would help train and certify artisans to meet the growing demand for skilled workers across the country.
“We are going to continue to interact with you so that we work on areas of common ground,” he said. “The Ministry will assist you as we factor your needs into our 2026 budget so that we can provide the necessary support to carry out this project.”
He praised the Centre’s efforts in promoting comprehensive skill development programmes that align with NASAP’s vision of producing a competent and competitive workforce. According to him, empowering artisans is crucial to achieving the government’s broader mandate of delivering affordable housing and infrastructure nationwide.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, also emphasised that the Centre’s initiatives complement NASAP’s objectives, which aim to strengthen technical capacity in the construction and housing industries. He expressed optimism that both institutions would find common ground to achieve shared goals.
Earlier, Ambassador Essien said the visit was to seek partnership with the ministry to expand youth skill training and employment initiatives, particularly in Akwa Ibom State. He highlighted that developing a skilled workforce is essential to achieving Nigeria’s infrastructure and housing goals.
Essien also commended the Federal Government’s commitment to job creation through training and digital certification of artisans under NASAP, which aims to equip and employ 10,000 construction artisans annually over a three-year period.
He added that the University of Uyo Centre plans to collaborate closely with the ministry to produce certified artisans from tertiary institutions who can actively contribute to national development projects.
