By Michael Oche
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), with support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has unveiled a five-year strategic plan to boost job creation and modernise its 87 Skills Training Centres to meet present-day training requirements.
The 2027–2031 plan, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, also seeks to strengthen employment services, improve labour-market information systems and ensure that vocational training better reflects the needs of industry. The initiative is expected to enhance the Directorate’s role in promoting job creation and sustainable livelihoods across Nigeria.
Speaking at the launch, the Director-General of the NDE, Silas Agara, said the strategy was designed to strengthen the agency’s capacity to address emerging labour-market challenges through coordinated, evidence-based and results-driven programmes.
According to him, the document would provide a unified framework for the Directorate’s departments, state offices and programme implementation structures, with emphasis on demand-driven skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, enterprise development, partnerships and inclusive employment.
Agara said the plan represented more than a policy document, describing it as a renewed commitment to expanding employment opportunities, building relevant skills, encouraging entrepreneurship and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.
“The NDE is not merely unveiling a policy document; but setting out a clear strategic direction for the next five years, reaffirming our institutional purpose and strengthening our commitment to creating employment opportunities, developing skills, promoting entrepreneurship and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians,” he said.
Addressing the state of the agency’s training facilities, Agara said the NDE had 87 Skills Training Centres, alongside Agricultural Training Centres and Common Facility Centres. He noted that many of these facilities needed different levels of rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, retooling or complete renovation.
“We are committed to modernising these facilities and harmonising our training curricula to ensure uniform standards and alignment with industry needs,” he said.
The Director-General acknowledged that achieving the planned improvements would depend on sustained funding and support from the Federal Government, development partners and private-sector stakeholders.
He added that the NDE would deepen engagement with employers and industry players, strengthen the use of data in decision-making and improve support for beneficiaries after training. These measures, he said, would help participants find jobs, establish viable businesses and maintain sustainable livelihoods.
Agara noted that employment programmes must keep pace with changes in the world of work, including technological developments, the growth of new industries, demographic pressures and changing business models.
He explained that the strategic plan would serve as a guide for resource allocation, performance evaluation and programme monitoring. He also stressed the need to incorporate its priorities into annual work plans and budgets to ensure effective implementation and accountability.
“The real test of this Plan begins after its launch,” Agara said, noting that successful execution would depend on clearly defined responsibilities, sufficient resources, measurable targets and effective monitoring systems.
In her remarks, the Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, underscored the importance of strengthening employment services and labour-market information to improve the transition from skills training to actual job opportunities.
Phala said the proposed establishment of a modern Public Employment Service, together with improved labour-market information systems and stronger institutional capacity, could enhance connections between job seekers, employers and available economic opportunities.
“The planned establishment of a modern Public Employment Service, enhanced labour market information systems, and stronger organisational capacities will not only improve service delivery but also enable more responsive, evidence-based support for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and employers alike,” she said.
She explained that reliable labour-market data and an efficient employment service would enable the NDE to make informed decisions, provide more targeted assistance to job seekers and entrepreneurs, and design interventions that better address employers’ requirements.
Phala described the plan as timely, citing the impact of technological advancements, demographic changes and evolving skills demands on Nigeria’s labour market.
She said the strategy could also contribute to the implementation of the National Employment Policy (NEP) 2025 and support national efforts to promote productive employment and decent work.
The ILO official disclosed that the organisation had supported the development of the strategic plan through the Strengthening Employment and Employability Systems in Nigeria (SEESIN) project, implemented through the GIZ-ILO collaboration under the Skills Development for Youth Employment Programme (SKYE II).
According to her, the process included consultations with NDE management and staff, as well as other stakeholders, whose contributions helped identify institutional priorities and ensure that the plan addressed the country’s employment challenges.
However, Phala warned that delivering on the plan’s objectives would require strong institutional leadership, adequate financing, effective partnerships and regular reviews of progress.
She called on the NDE to establish clear responsibilities for each priority area and urged government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and development partners to coordinate their support around the plan’s objectives.
She further stressed the need for results-based management and robust monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms to measure progress, identify implementation gaps and promote accountability throughout the five-year period.
