NDE Unveils Five-Year Plan To Boost Job Creation, Overhaul 87 Skills Centres

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has unveiled a five-year strategic plan to boost job creation and modernise its 87 skills training centres, many of which require rehabilitation, upgraded equipment or a complete overhaul to meet current training demands.

The plan, covering 2027–2031, also targets improved employment services, stronger labour-market information systems and closer alignment between vocational training and industry requirements, as the directorate seeks to strengthen its contribution to employment creation and sustainable livelihoods across Nigeria.

Unveiling the plan at Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday, the Director-General of the NDE, His Excellency Silas Agara, said the strategy would reposition the agency to respond more effectively to changing labour-market needs through coordinated, evidence-based and results-oriented interventions.

He said the plan would provide a common direction for the directorate’s departments, state offices and programme delivery structures, with priorities spanning demand-driven skills development, entrepreneurship, enterprise growth, strategic partnerships and inclusive employment.

“The NDE is not merely unveiling a policy document but setting out a clear strategic direction for the next five years, reaffirming our institutional purpose and strengthening our commitment to creating employment opportunities, developing skills, promoting entrepreneurship and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians,” Agara said.

On the condition of the agency’s training infrastructure, the director-general disclosed that the NDE operated 87 skills training centres, in addition to agricultural training centres and common facility centres, many of which required varying levels of retooling, upgrading, rehabilitation or a complete overhaul.

“We are committed to modernising these facilities and harmonising our training curricula to ensure uniform standards and alignment with industry needs,” he said.

Agara, however, acknowledged that modernising the facilities and improving the quality of training would require sustained support from the Federal Government, development partners and the private sector.

He said the directorate would also strengthen collaboration with employers and industry partners, improve data-driven decision-making and provide more effective post-training support to help beneficiaries secure employment, establish viable businesses and sustain their livelihoods.

The NDE boss stressed that employment interventions must respond to the changing nature of work, shaped by technological advancement, emerging industries, demographic pressures and evolving business models.

He said the plan would guide resource allocation, performance assessment and programme monitoring, adding that its priorities must be integrated into the directorate’s annual work plans and budgets to ensure accountability.

“The real test of this Plan begins after its launch,” Agara said, emphasising that implementation would require clear responsibilities, adequate resources, measurable targets and effective monitoring mechanisms.

In her remarks, the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, highlighted the importance of modern employment services and improved labour-market information in translating skills development into better job opportunities.

She said the plan’s proposed establishment of a modern Public Employment Service, alongside stronger labour-market information systems and institutional capacity, could improve the connection between job seekers, employers and available economic opportunities.

“The planned establishment of a modern Public Employment Service, enhanced labour market information systems, and stronger organisational capacities will not only improve service delivery but also enable more responsive, evidence-based support for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and employers alike,” Phala said.

She explained that a modern employment service and reliable labour-market information could help the NDE make better-informed decisions, improve support for job seekers and entrepreneurs, and ensure that employment interventions responded more closely to employers’ needs.

Phala described the strategic plan as timely, given the effects of technological change, demographic transitions and evolving skills requirements on Nigeria’s labour market.

She also said the plan was well positioned to support the implementation of the National Employment Policy (NEP) 2025 and advance the country’s efforts to promote productive employment and decent work.

The ILO director disclosed that the organisation supported the development of the plan through the Strengthening Employment and Employability Systems in Nigeria (SEESIN) project, implemented through the GIZ-ILO collaboration under the Skills Development for Youth Employment Programme (SKYE II).

According to her, the process involved consultations with NDE management and staff and a broad range of stakeholders, whose contributions helped identify institutional priorities and strengthen the plan’s relevance to Nigeria’s employment challenges.

However, Phala cautioned that achieving the plan’s objectives would require clear institutional leadership, adequate resources, effective partnerships and regular assessment of results.

She urged the NDE to assign clear responsibilities for each priority area and called on government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and development partners to align their support with the plan’s objectives.

She also emphasised the importance of using results-based management and monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms to track progress and strengthen accountability throughout the implementation period.

The ILO reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Nigerian government and social partners to translate national employment policies and related frameworks into practical improvements in employment opportunities and livelihoods.

Agara, in turn, expressed appreciation to the governments of Germany and Switzerland, the ILO and other development partners for supporting the development of the plan through the GIZ-implemented SKYE II programme.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, organised labour, employers’ organisations, civil society organisations and other stakeholders who participated in the consultations and validation process.

The impact of the five-year plan will ultimately depend on the extent to which its commitments translate into modernised training facilities, relevant skills, stronger links between job seekers and employers, viable enterprises and sustainable employment opportunities.

Key implementation questions remain, including the number of Nigerians the directorate expects to train and support into employment by 2031, the funding available to modernise the centres and the timeline for establishing the proposed Public Employment Service.