Made-in-Nigeria Products, Services Must Meet Global Standards — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged members of the National Council on Skills (NCS) comprising federal ministries, state governments and the private sector, to ensure that Made-in-Nigeria products and services remain synonymous with world-class standards.

He urged the council to leverage on the restless, inventive spirit of the Nigerian people—evident across streets, schools, and workshops—by tapping into this energy to power the nation’s ongoing industrial revolution.

The vice president, who gave the charge on Thursday while chairing the 8th NCS meeting at the Presidential Villa, stressed that as the council moves towards inaugurating the National Working Committee for WorldSkills Nigeria, the weight of the responsibility extends beyond preparations for Shanghai 2026.

The 48th WorldSkills Competition will bring together skilled young professionals from across the globe.

According to him, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, this effort represents the construction of a bridge to global relevance—whether for an AI developer in Lagos’ Silicon Lagoon, a precision machinist in the industrial hubs of Nnewi, or a climate-smart agriculturalist in Benue.

“Our goal is to ensure that Made in Nigeria is synonymous with world-class,” the vice president added.

He highlighted that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) are two gears of a single engine expected to achieve this goal, working towards a singular destination: the human capital development objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The vice president observed that collaboration, beyond being a best practice, is the only way the council can fulfil its covenant with the Nigerian people.

“As we leave this chamber, remember who we serve. We owe them jobs. We owe them hope. We owe them a future where their skills are their currency. The future belongs to those who prepare for it today,” he said.

On WorldSkills Nigeria (WSN) and WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, the council noted the memo on Nigeria’s participation this year.

It also considered a proposal by Dangote Industries to conduct a one-month “train-the-trainer” programme for 100 candidates across five high-demand skill areas: industrial mechanics, industrial electronics, instrumentation, welding and fabrication, and heavy-duty earth-moving equipment operations.

It commended the initiative and requested updates on progress at subsequent meetings.