The Federal Government has inaugurated seven planning committees for the forthcoming National Industrial Manpower Summit.
Inaugurating the Committees in Abuja, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh said the move became necessary to ensure that Nigeria’s Industrial rise is not only powered by infrastructure and policy but also by people, skilled, equipped and globally competitive.
“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 and this summit is not just an event —it is a declaration of intent. It signals our collective resolve to ensure that Nigeria’s industrial rise is not only powered by infrastructure and policy—but also by people: skilled, equipped, and globally competitive” the Minister stated.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment remains resolute in its mandate to position Nigeria as a leading hub of industrial excellence on the continent and our reform efforts are focused on removing structural bottlenecks, attracting investment, and expanding value- added production.
However, the government recognized that policies and capital alone are insufficient without a workforce prepared to power the engines of innovation, manufacturing, and enterprise.
In his words “The summit we are convening will serve as a strategic convergence point—where government, industry, academia, and international partners will collectively reimagine Nigeria’s industrial skills architecture. From curriculum alignment and technical certification, digital literacy and green economy competencies, the time has come to redesign our human capital pipeline for the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Agenda has placed industrial development at the heart of economic policy. Initiatives like the National Industrial Policy, the revitalization of industrial clusters, and the launch of the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IRWG) all point to a bold economic trajectory and yet, Mr. President is clear -eyed in his belief that people are the most precious infrastructure of any nation and that is why substantial public investments are being made in skills acquisition, vocational training, and workforce modernization—across every geo-economic zone of the country” Senator Enoh explained.
He explained that the National Industrial Manpower Summit is not just a government agenda—it is a national imperative noting that it is a call to industry leaders, policy architects, labour unions, educational institutions, and global partners to co-create a skills revolution that ensures our industries are not only built—but sustained by competent, competitive, and future-ready Nigerians.
“I urge each of you to bring bold ideas to the table, challenge orthodoxies, and commit to actions that will outlast us and let this be the summit that sets a generational standard and as we inaugurate this Planning Committee, let us be guided by a singular vision: a Nigeria where industrial growth is inclusive, where employment is meaningful, and where every citizen has the opportunity to contribute to national prosperity.
“Your expertise, passion, and collaboration are the engine of this summit’s success and together, let us build a resilient industrial future—one that secures Nigeria’s place not just as a participant, but as a leader in Africa’s next industrial era” the Minister stressed
In his welcome address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development, Hon. Adamson Oluwatosin Ayinde identified capacity building as key to national industrialization and economic development.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our collective endeavour to reposition Nigeria’s industrial sector through strategic human capital development and the Imperative for Industrial Manpower Development Nigeria stands at a pivotal juncture in its economic trajectory” He stated
In his words, “As we strive to diversify our economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues, the industrial sector emerges as a critical pillar for sustainable growth. However, the success of this sector is intrinsically linked to the availability of a skilled, adaptable, and innovative workforce”.
According to Hon. Adamson Oluwatosin Ayinde, the fourth Industrial Revolution has ushered in an era where technological advancements rapidly redefine industry standards. To remain competitive, our workforce must not only possess technical skills but also exhibit creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to continuous learning.
“The National Industrial Manpower Summit is conceived as a strategic platform to: Assess the Current Landscape: Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing industrial workforce, identifying skill gaps and areas requiring intervention. Engage Stakeholders: Foster collaboration among government entities, private sector players, educational institutions, and international partners to align efforts in manpower development. Formulate Strategic Policies: Develop actionable policies and frameworks that address current challenges and anticipate future workforce needs. Promote Innovation and Technology Integration: Encourage the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and innovative practices within the industrial sector” he added.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President further stated that, “The Planning Committee is entrusted with the critical task of orchestrating a summit that is both impactful and transformative pointing out that the responsibilities include: Strategic Planning: Designing the summit’s agenda to address pressing issues in industrial manpower development. Stakeholder Coordination: Ensuring the active participation of all relevant stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and civil society. Resource Mobilization: Identifying and securing the necessary resources to facilitate the successful execution of the summit. Logistics Management: Overseeing the logistical aspects to ensure a seamless and productive event. Post-Summit Follow-Up: Establishing mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the summit’s resolutions and recommendations..
“It is important to highlight that the members of this Planning Committee have been carefully selected from a diverse range of institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Bank of Industry (BOI), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), organized Trade Unions(TUC), and key private sector organizations and this inclusive representation reflects the multi-sectoral commitment required to achieve lasting progress in industrial manpower development”. Hon. Ayinde stressed.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun said the time has come for Nigeria to put an end to importation of manpower hence the need for the National Industrial Manpower Summit.
Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun who commanded the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development for the initiative stated that the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, would continue to strengthen human capacity development on the country through its training programmes nationwide.
“We in ITF have been given the mandate by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to retrain Nigerian artisans towards meeting international standard and that we have started in a programme named SUPA therefore we’re very happy that this type of initiative is coming up at the right time towards actualizing the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s led administration in the area of human capacity building for national economic development” the ITF Boss stated.
In his words”We’re ready in the ITF family to ensure the realization of the objectives of the summit therefore let me use this opportunity to call on necessary stakeholders to support the initiative towards repositioning the nation’s economy and human capacity development”.
Responding on behalf of the Committee Members, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the Summit, Barrister Abdulghani Arobo promised not to betray the confidence reposed in them stating that the members would discharge the duty to the best of their ability.
According to Barrister Abdulghani Arobo, nothing of such summit has happened in the history of Nigeria because stakeholders have refused having conversations around industrial manpower and this brings the Committee on appreciating the foresight of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development.
“We therefore assure him that his vision on this summit will be adequately realized and satisfied through the composition of right team for the summit,” he stated.
In his words”Let me also align with the Director General of ITF, Dr Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun on the Agency’s intervention programme and initiative known as SUPA towards operating as support structure in actualizing the aims and objectives of the summit and this will also provide clarity, understanding and action plan for a country that is serious about development because we cannot talk about industrialization and economic development without human capacity development” Barrister Gani emphasized.
