Governor Umar Namadi is investing in the future by creating opportunities for the young people of Jigawa State and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed
By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse
The Minister of Education, Dr Moruf Olatunji Alausa, has commended Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, for what he described as significant investment in human capital development, particularly through technical and vocational education.
Alausa said the state government was equipping young people with practical and industry-relevant skills needed to drive employment, entrepreneurship and economic development in Nigeria and beyond.
The minister spoke after inspecting the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-Purpose Skills Acquisition Centre and the Renewed Hope Technical Services Centre in Limawa, on the outskirts of Dutse, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad.
The inspection followed the graduation of 928 youths trained in emerging technologies under the World Bank-assisted Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education and facilitated by Baze University, Abuja.
Alausa described the facilities and activities at the centres as “extremely impressive”, saying Governor Namadi had demonstrated exceptional commitment to developing the human capacity of Jigawa’s young population.
“When you have a governor who understands how to build human capital, you see the kind of commitment Governor Umar Namadi has demonstrated. He is exceptional in this regard,” the minister said.
He noted that the centres were providing trainees with practical competencies that could enhance their employability, encourage entrepreneurship and contribute to national economic growth.
According to him, the training goes beyond classroom instruction, as participants spend considerable time acquiring practical skills that prepare them for employment and self-employment.
“This is what human capital development is all about. Skills are the present, and they are the future,” he said.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of facilities and practical training being undertaken at the centres, including welding and fabrication, garment production and the construction of portable housing units.
He particularly highlighted the local production of school uniforms for public schools in Jigawa by trainees, describing the initiative as a practical model for developing sustainable local value chains while creating economic opportunities for young people.
Alausa said the initiative demonstrated the potential of technical and vocational education to transform the lives of young Nigerians.
“Governor Umar Namadi is investing in the future by creating opportunities for the young people of Jigawa State and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed,” he said.
He added that the state’s investment in human capital was particularly commendable because it complemented the development of physical infrastructure.
“I do not have a crystal ball, but what I have seen in Jigawa today is simply mind-blowing. This governor genuinely cares about his people.
“Beyond constructing physical infrastructure, he is investing in the most valuable asset that any society or nation can possess—its people. He is building real human capital by providing practical, industry-relevant skills that Nigeria and the global economy require.”
The minister further said the Federal Government had placed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at the centre of its education reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He stressed that education remained fundamental to building a productive and competitive economy, noting that the President had directed the ministry to ensure that Nigerian youths received quality education alongside practical life and workplace skills.
“The President believes in human capital. He believes in the youth of this country, and he has mandated us, as Ministers, to do everything humanly possible to ensure that every child in Nigeria receives the highest quality of education comparable to what is obtainable anywhere in the world.
“Beyond providing education, he wants us to equip our young people with practical life skills,” Alausa said.
He also praised Governor Namadi for combining infrastructure development with deliberate investment in human capacity, describing people as the most valuable asset of any nation.
Responding, Governor Namadi said the facilities were established as part of Jigawa State’s deliberate efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education and complement the Federal Government’s human capital development agenda.
“We believe that what we are doing here in Jigawa State complements the efforts of Mr President. The Honourable Minister of Education, under his leadership of the Ministry, is driving Mr President’s agenda in the areas of human capital development and technical skills acquisition,” Namadi said.
The governor explained that the invitation extended to the ministers was intended to give them an opportunity to assess the state’s achievements in technical and vocational education firsthand.
He expressed satisfaction with the minister’s assessment of the facilities, saying the recognition demonstrated that Jigawa’s initiatives were aligned with the human capital development priorities of the Tinubu administration.