Vice-President Kashim Shettima has stated that Nigeria’s economy is on the path to recovery and will experience significant improvements in the coming months. Speaking during the launch of the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Strategy Document and Gender Transformative Human Capital Development Policy Framework in Lafia, Shettima emphasized the importance of reversing the country’s high unemployment rates and strengthening the informal sector.
Shettima assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to empowering Nigerian workers with globally competitive skills, which would allow them to excel both domestically and internationally. He described the Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme as a lifeline for Nigeria, designed to address the socio-economic challenges facing the country, including high fertility rates, maternal and child mortality, and low life expectancy.
He highlighted the importance of equipping the nation’s workforce with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st-century economy and emphasized the role of education and healthcare in achieving these goals.
The Vice-President also expressed concern over the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) being ranked lowest on the global Human Capital Development Index but framed this as an opportunity for the country to rise to the challenge.
The Special Adviser to the President on National Economic Council (NEC) and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai, explained that the HCD programme, launched in 2018, aims to address poverty and foster socio-economic growth across Nigeria. Meanwhile, Senator Ahmed Wadada commended Nasarawa State for leading efforts to lay the foundation for human capital development, noting that education is the cornerstone of human development and should be prioritized for all citizens.
