Minister of Education Suwaiba Ahmad laments skill gap among Nigerian youths

Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, has expressed her concerns over the increasing skills gap among Nigerian youth, noting that foreign workers are frequently employed for tiling jobs despite the high unemployment rate in the country.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Youth Forum, Ahmad shared insights from a government skills gap analysis, which indicated a shortage of experienced Nigerian workers in various sectors.

“We conducted a skills gap analysis and found that there are numerous areas lacking in skilled personnel. For example,” she pointed out.

She highlighted lucrative opportunities in technical trades, stating, “There are many profitable skills, like solar energy, where there is a significant demand for qualified individuals, yet we still lack experienced workers. For straightforward tiling work, we are hiring people from neighboring African countries while our youth are left without jobs.”

Ahmad emphasized that such roles can be highly lucrative, often offering better financial returns than some graduate positions.

To address this issue, she mentioned the Federal Government’s initiatives through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs.

“We have identified about 25 skill areas for training. We offer training programs lasting from six months to a year. In our initial cohort, over 100,000 students have begun their training,” she revealed.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates

“Some of these students have even graduated, and we are providing them with starter packs at the completion of their programs.”

Additionally, Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande noted that merely having academic qualifications is insufficient in today’s job market.

“I always stress the importance of skill development. Certifications alone may not meet the demands of the job market,” he remarked. “We need to tackle the skills gap from its root.”