ABUJA, FCT– The National Directorate of Work (NDE) has entered into a strategic decade-long partnership with the Building and construction Artisan Training School (FELINES) to equip one million Nigerian youths with expert building skills.
The cooperation was formalized in Abuja on Monday, March 16, 2026, with the signing of a Memorandum of Comprehending (MoU) for the enthusiastic “Task 1 Million Building Artisan Training Vision 2036.”
The effort is developed to bridge the widening abilities space in Nigeria’s building and civil engineering sectors while providing a sustainable pathway to entrepreneurship for the country’s growing youth population.
Under the regards to the MoU, the training will be offered totally free of charge to all qualified participants. The program is totally funded by CATS and its consortium of partners, getting rid of the monetary barriers that frequently prevent vulnerable youths from accessing high-quality vocational education.
Task Lead of CATS, Dr. Olayemi Rotimi-Shodimu, explained the collaboration as a game-changer. He kept in mind that Nigeria’s building and construction sector is growing rapidly, yet it stays heavily dependent on artisanal labor that often lacks formal accreditation and modern technical understanding.
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By standardizing training through this partnership, the project aims to ensure that Nigerian craftsmens can compete internationally and deal with intricate facilities jobs traditionally scheduled for foreign firms.
The Director-General of NDE, Silas Agara, stressed that the initiative directly aligns with the firm’s mandate to suppress joblessness.
He highlighted the ripple effect of the program, noting that for every master artisan trained, a number of indirect jobs are developed in the supply chain.
“Equipping youths with practical skills contributes to financial growth and social stability,” Agara mentioned. He added that the program is a proactive procedure to reduce youth participation in criminal activity and drug abuse by offering a dignified and lucrative means of livelihood.
The launch of Vision 2036 marks among the largest professional interventions in West Africa, positioning the building market as a primary engine for Nigeria’s financial agenda.