By Onilede Titi Faith
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unveiled Nigeria’s first-ever National Industrial Manpower Development Policy, aimed at bridging the gap between potential and productivity by aligning education and skills training with industry needs.
The launch took place at the 2025 National Industrial Manpower Summit (NIMS), in Abuja, themed “Manpower Development: The Bridge Between Potential and Productivity.”
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu described Nigeria’s youthful population as “a gift” and “a responsibility,” stressing that human capital must be at the core of national policy.
“Human capital, combined with infrastructure and sound policy, forms the bridge between progress and regression,” Tinubu said. “We cannot afford to divest from our people because the world will not pause to wait for us.”
He pledged swift adoption and implementation of the summit’s recommendations, outlining key priorities such as: Strengthened public–private collaboration, creation of an industrial skills database and sector-specific manpower roadmaps, and improved status and dignity for vocational and industrial jobs, including welders, machinists, technicians, software engineers, and factory operators.
Tinubu warned that without continuous adaptation to rapid technological change, Nigeria’s workforce risks being left behind in the global economy.
Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Owan Enoh, described the policy launch as a historic turning point and announced the appointment of the country’s first-ever Senior Special Assistant on Industrial Training and Development.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, called manpower development key to attracting investment, boosting industrial capacity, and driving economic growth, framing it as a central pillar of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Labour and Employment Minister, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, urged a shift from fragmented skills initiatives to coordinated national action in training, certification, and manpower planning.
Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Director General, Afiz Oluwatoyin, hailed the summit as a vital platform for mobilizing resources and driving the implementation of national skills policies.
