The Federal Government has inaugurated a seven-man planning committee to spearhead preparations for the maiden edition of the National Industrial Manpower Development Summit. The initiative underscores the government’s commitment to fostering a globally competitive, skills-based, and people-driven industrial sector.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held in Abuja, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, emphasized the significance of the summit. He noted that it is not merely another event on the government’s calendar, but a bold and deliberate step towards unlocking Nigeria’s full industrial potential through targeted human capital investments.
“This initiative marks a defining step toward unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s industrial transformation through one of its most vital levers — human capital development,” Senator Enoh declared.
He further highlighted that the summit will serve as a strategic convergence platform for key stakeholders — including government agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, and international development partners — to collaboratively reimagine Nigeria’s industrial skills framework.
According to the minister, the summit is aligned with the broader economic vision of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places industrialisation at the heart of national development efforts.
Enoh reaffirmed the President’s belief that “people are the most precious infrastructure of any nation,” adding that the federal government is therefore making substantial investments in vocational training, skills acquisition, and workforce modernization across all geo-economic zones in the country.
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development, Mr. Adamson Ayinde, reiterated the urgency of the initiative. He stated that Nigeria is currently at a pivotal point in its economic transition, where the drive for industrialisation must be matched by strategic and forward-looking manpower development policies.
“As we strive to diversify our economy and reduce dependence on oil, the industrial sector stands out as a key pillar for sustainable growth. But without a skilled, adaptable, and innovative workforce, this vision will remain out of reach,” Ayinde asserted.
He described the summit as a critical platform for assessing the current manpower landscape, addressing skill gaps, promoting technological innovation, and fostering multisectoral collaboration.
He further outlined the roles and responsibilities of the newly inaugurated planning committee, which include designing a comprehensive summit agenda, coordinating stakeholder engagement, mobilising resources, managing event logistics, and ensuring the successful implementation of post-summit outcomes.
On his part, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Ogun, applauded the initiative and praised the President’s Special Assistant for his leadership. He described the summit as a timely intervention that aligns perfectly with ongoing government efforts to modernize and upgrade the country’s workforce.
Dr. Ogun disclosed that the ITF is currently implementing a specialized training initiative known as SUPA (Skill-Up Artisans), aimed at retraining Nigerian artisans to meet global standards. “We have the mandate from President Tinubu to raise the competency of Nigerian artisans, and this summit comes at the right time as it aligns with the President’s vision for economic diversification and sustainable development,” he said.
Reaffirming ITF’s unwavering commitment to the cause of national human capital development, Ogun called on stakeholders across the public and private sectors to lend their support to the summit. He expressed confidence that with collective effort, the initiative would yield transformative outcomes for Nigeria’s industrial and economic future.