The Federal Government has signed a strategic partnership with Polaris Capital Limited to train, certify, and provide job opportunities for 100,000 construction artisans across Nigeria.
The agreement, sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on September 2, 2025, officially launched the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP), a nationwide initiative to bridge the country’s skills gap in housing and construction.
Modernizing Nigeria’s Workforce
Dr. Shuaib Belgore, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, said NASAP will strengthen technical capacity, create sustainable employment, and promote inclusivity by engaging women, youths, and persons with disabilities.
“This initiative is designed to modernize Nigeria’s construction workforce,” he noted.
The three-year programme will be financed through federal allocations, private sector investment, and donor contributions. It will also feature a digital booking and verification platform to connect artisans to real-time job opportunities while generating revenue to sustain the programme.
Fighting Quackery, Creating Jobs
Polaris Capital’s CEO, Kelvin Vihishima, described the partnership as critical to curbing unskilled practices in construction.
“Training and certification will reduce quackery and make skilled manpower available nationwide,” he said.
Rollout Plan
NASAP will unfold in three phases:
1. 2025 Pilot: 3,000 artisans trained across three states in 10 high-demand trades, including masonry, plumbing, electrical works, carpentry, welding, tiling, and air-conditioning.
2. 2026 Nationwide Expansion: Scaling up to reach thousands more.
3. 2027 Centres of Excellence: Establishment of regional hubs for continuous skills development.
Nairametrics earlier reported in June that the Federal Government had planned the pilot phase, which will span six months of intensive training.
The MoU was officially signed by Dr. Belgore on behalf of the Ministry and Mr. Vihishima for Polaris Capital Limited, reaffirming the government’s commitment to skills development, job creation, and sustainable urban growth.
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