President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate a three-day national conference aimed at addressing poverty, unemployment, and the skills gap in Nigeria. The event, organized by the APC Think Tank and intellectual resource center, The Progressive Institute (TPI), will focus on advancing vocational and entrepreneurial skills as tools for national development.
Themed “Vocational Skills Acquisition, Entrepreneurship, and Challenges of Development in Nigeria,” the conference is scheduled to hold from Tuesday, December 17th to Thursday, December 19th, 2024, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, APC National Chairman and Chief Host, described the conference as a timely intervention by the party leadership to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and workplace requirements while tackling youth unemployment.
“This is part of APC’s commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts in equipping Nigerians with relevant skills to drive economic growth and development,” Dr. Ganduje said.
Dr. Lanre Adebayo, the Director General of TPI, highlighted that the conference will focus on advanced vocational sectors such as digital technologies, sustainable agriculture, mining, advanced welding certifications, and maritime skills. He added that the conference would draw from the experiences of nations like Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, which have successfully built their economies on similar models.
International and local experts will deliver position papers on these subjects, with groups from Britain and China reportedly offering support to establish zonal skills acquisition centers in Nigeria.
The conference will also explore middle and low-level vocational skills tailored to the country’s six geopolitical zones and propose reforms to the Nigerian educational curriculum to strengthen vocational training.
Notable participants included the Bank of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, and relevant ministries and NGOs.
The event promised to provide actionable solutions to Nigeria’s unemployment challenges and catalyze sustainable economic development.
