The Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), have joined forces to advance skills development with the aim of bridging the gap between Education and the industry.
The partnership was formed during a convergence of key stakeholders led by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, to discuss strategies for enhancing practical skills integration into formal Education.
Prof. Mamman who emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in Nigeria’s educational landscape, urged private universities to offer distinct programmes to complement public institutions.
He lauded the initiative of the ACCI, adding that it aligns with the goals of providing practical skills and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement for economic growth,
The Minister also commended the work of the BEST Centre in promoting skills development, echoing the Ministry’s commitment to integrating practical skills from Primary to Tertiary levels.
For his part, the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, reiterated the significance of securing funds from both public and private sources to support research and development endeavours, particularly in combating COVID-19 and improving economic activities.
Sununu emphasized the need for local utilization of Research findings and products to enhance industrial growth, urging increased uptake of locally produced solutions.
President of ACCI, Emeka Obegolu, noted that the Chamber was committed to enhancing skills training and entrepreneurship through collaboration with the government.
He proposed partnerships with the Ministry of Education to promote innovation and investment in educational infrastructure, highlighting the establishment of the ACCI Continental University which he said was dedicated to advancing the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
A former President of the ACCI, Adetokunbo Kayode stressed the importance of mainstreaming skills development into the regular university curriculum to create a globally competitive workforce. He emphasized collaboration between the Private Sector and Government to implement policies supporting skills training and entrepreneurship, particularly for young Nigerians.
The Director of BEST Centre, Dr Atinuke Temitope outlined ongoing initiatives focused on skills development to include vocational training programs certified by NACTE and collaborations with international partners to develop occupational profiles.
She emphasized the centre’s commitment to Gender and disability inclusion in technical vocational Education and called for further support to expand these initiatives.
