Nigeria Must Reduce Import Dependence – Masari

Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful economic progress if it remains heavily dependent on imports, former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has stated.

At the media launch of the Nigeria Talents Exploration Challenge (NTEC) in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in Abuja, Masari emphasised the need for local production to strengthen the nation’s economy.

“You can never make progress with importation. Your currency can never hold value with importation. Your energy needs will never be affordable if they are entirely reliant on what comes from outside,” he said.

Masari, who now serves as chairman of the Board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), highlighted the importance of youth empowerment through technical and vocational skills. He recalled how he trained over 10,000 young people in various skills during his tenure as governor of Katsina.

“The idea of talent hunting and empowering the youth arose because we recognised that they are the future,” he added.

The Nigeria Talents Exploration Challenge is an initiative aimed at fostering innovation, creativity and skills development among young Nigerians. It builds on a similar programme initiated by Masari in Katsina State and has now expanded nationwide.

The national coordinator of NTEC, Arc. Faisal Jaafaru Rafindadi, stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s vision to boost economic growth through technical and vocational education.

“Our partnership with the NBTE underscores our commitment to excellence in technical education. We aim to create a platform that inspires and empowers Nigerian youths to become leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs,” Rafindadi said.

The competition is open to Nigerians aged 10 to 40, covering various categories such as automotive modelling, arts and crafts, ICT, technology and innovation, construction, literary arts and poetry.

The executive secretary of NBTE, Prof Idris Bugaje, expressed optimism about Nigeria’s growing role in global skills development.

“We are pleased that this talent hunt, which started in Katsina, has been sustained and is now a national programme. With Nigeria’s admission into World Skills International in 2024, we now have a platform to showcase our talents on a global stage,” Bugaje said.

According to him, winners of the talent hunt will have the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the World Skills Africa competition in Zambia in 2025 and the World Skills International event in South Korea in 2026.

“Africa is full of talent, and Nigeria, as the continent’s most populous nation, must take the lead,” he added.