Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged members of the National Council on Skills (NCS) to ensure that Made-in-Nigeria products and services meet and sustain world-class standards.

Addressing the 8th meeting of the council at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, the Vice President urged stakeholders, drawn from federal ministries, state governments, and the private sector, to harness the ingenuity and enterprise of Nigerians to drive the country’s industrial transformation.

He noted that the innovative spirit of Nigerians, visible across communities, schools, and workshops, must be effectively channelled to power the nation’s ongoing industrial revolution.

Shettima emphasised that as the council moves to inaugurate the National Working Committee for WorldSkills Nigeria, its mandate goes beyond preparations for the 48th WorldSkills Competition scheduled for Shanghai in 2026.

According to him, the initiative is about positioning Nigeria for global relevance, whether for an AI developer in Lagos, a precision machinist in industrial clusters like Nnewi, or a climate-smart agricultural practitioner in Benue.

“Our goal is to ensure that Made in Nigeria is synonymous with world-class,” the Vice President stated.

He identified the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) as critical institutions that must work in synergy to achieve the human capital development goals of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Vice President stressed that collaboration remains indispensable, describing it as the only viable pathway for the council to deliver on its mandate to Nigerians.

“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.

The council also considered a memo on Nigeria’s participation in WorldSkills Nigeria (WSN) and the Shanghai 2026 competition.

It further reviewed a proposal by Dangote Industries to implement a one-month “train-the-trainer” programme for 100 candidates in five high-demand skill areas:

industrial mechanics, industrial electronics, instrumentation, welding and fabrication, and heavy-duty earth-moving equipment operations.

Members commended the initiative and requested periodic updates on its implementation.

Dignitaries at the meeting included Governor Uba Sani; Minister of Education, Morufu Tunji Alausa; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; as well as a representative of the Dangote Foundation.