The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s skilled construction workforce, describing artisans as critical drivers of housing delivery, economic growth, and national development.
Speaking at the 6th Construction Artisans Awards (CAA 2026) in Abuja, Dangiwa said the initiative has evolved into a national platform that raises standards in the construction sector through competency assessments, certification pathways, and skills development.
“The event celebrates the skilled men and women ‘whose hands literally build Nigeria,’ while promoting professionalism, certification, and pride in technical craftsmanship,” he said.
The Minister explained that the two-day programme features practical assessments, competitions, upskilling workshops, and screenings designed to demonstrate discipline, innovation, and professionalism among participants.
Under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Dangiwa noted that housing is no longer viewed merely as a social service but as a powerful economic engine capable of creating jobs, stimulating supply chains, and expanding opportunities across the economy.
He highlighted a shortage of certified construction artisans, stressing that the quality of buildings reflects the quality of skills available. “Training must lead to work, certification builds credibility, and skills translate into income,” he said.
“The construction sector remains one of Nigeria’s largest employers. Every housing unit built creates work for masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders, tilers, painters, and many others. But we must move from labour to skilled labour,” Dangiwa added.
He further explained that the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP) aims to train artisans, support certification to national competency standards, and connect them to employment opportunities via a digital marketplace and database.
The Minister commended Family Homes Funds Limited for leveraging development partnerships to train construction artisans nationwide, linking skills training directly to housing delivery while improving quality and livelihoods.
Dangiwa also stressed the importance of ongoing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reforms led by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education in producing the skilled workforce required for modern construction.
He concluded that delivering housing at scale requires strengthening skills development, certification systems, construction finance, local building materials production, and adoption of modern building technologies.
In this article