Shettima pledges to reverse unemployment, push for global skill competitiveness

Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to addressing the country’s rising unemployment and informal sector growth, vowing to reverse these trends through targeted human capital development.

Speaking at the launch of Nasarawa State’s Human Capital Development (HCD) Strategy Document and Gender Transformative Policy Framework in Lafia, Shettima emphasized that the government’s strategy is focused on equipping Nigerians with globally competitive skills, enabling them to succeed in both domestic and international job markets.

“Our Human Capital Development Programme is designed to steer the country away from an unfavorable trajectory, where low labor force participation and a ballooning informal sector define our economic landscape,” Shettima said.

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He further highlighted that the Nasarawa HCD Programme is a collective realization that “enough is enough” in addressing issues that have plagued Nigeria, including high fertility rates, alarming maternal and under-five mortality rates, and low life expectancy among vulnerable populations.

Citing distressing statistics, Shettima acknowledged challenges such as poor educational outcomes, high pupil-to-teacher ratios, and the large number of youth not in employment, education, or training. “This is the dystopia our Human Capital Development Programme is designed to avert under the mandate of His Excellency, President Tinubu,” he said, underscoring that solutions are being designed to suit the unique realities of each state.

The Vice President stressed that the HCD Programme is focused on workforce development, education, and health as critical pillars. He noted that reversing Nigeria’s human capital challenges is central to the administration’s goals, stating that “the unemployment rates, the growing informal sector, and low labor force participation must be reversed.”

Shettima further addressed the broader context of human capital development, lamenting that the ECOWAS region ranks the lowest globally in the Human Capital Development Index. However, he framed this as an opportunity for sub-national entities to rise to the challenge, stressing that “every child must have access to quality education, equitable healthcare, even as the nation’s workforce must be equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st-century economy.”

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He highlighted the importance of empowering Nigerian youth not just to succeed locally but to “export the acquired skills globally, competing at the highest levels of the international marketplace.”

Partnerships with the private sector, Shettima said, are crucial to achieving these goals by providing access to resources, expertise, and innovation, making human capital development “the cornerstone of a more prosperous and competitive Nigeria.”

The Vice President praised Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State for his leadership in launching the strategy document and policy framework, describing it as a forward-thinking approach that aligns with national goals. He also revealed that the federal government has moved beyond the initial phase of HCD, transitioning from theory to implementation, with Nasarawa’s engagement at this stage seen as a promising step toward progress.

However, Shettima reiterated that the administration remains committed to ensuring Nigerians can compete globally while addressing domestic human capital challenges, driving inclusive growth, and securing Nigeria’s future prosperity.