The Federal Government, through the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme, is planning to train and certify 10,000 artisans annually, aimed at creating a steady pipeline of skilled professionals to meet the demands of Nigeria’s growing housing sector.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, made the presentation of the NASAP to stakeholders at the 6th National Council on Skills, chaired by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, at Presidential Villa recently in Abuja.
Dangiwa explained that NASAP is a vision, a digital craft hub, and “an Uber for artisans that will make it easy to find verified construction workers just like booking a ride,” describing it as a flagship intervention designed to deliver practical, market-ready skills to youth and raise the standard of housing delivery across the country.
“Whether it’s public or private housing projects, poor workmanship is undermining quality and safety, and NASAP is not just another training scheme but a national effort to profeassionalise artisanship, restore quality, and connect skills to jobs,” the Minister stated.
He added, “The programme is Craft Hub, a digital platform that will serve as Uber for artisans. After undergoing training and certification, artisans will be digitally profiled and onboarded to a national database accessible to developers, contractors, and the general public.”
According to Dangiwa, each profile will include location, trade, ratings, and work history to build trust and enhance job opportunities.
“We are building trust in skill, designed as a six-month intensive training programme, combining classroom instruction, hands-on practicals, mentorship, and jobsite exposure.
“It will cover 10 high-demand construction trades: bricklaying and masonry, plumbing and pipefitting, electrical installations, carpentry and woodwork, and painting and decorative finishes.
“Others are welding and fabrication, tiling and floor finishing, POP and screeding, upholstery and furniture craft, and air conditioning and refrigeration. It will leverage existing Building Craft Training Schools in Kuje and Yaba, with new centres planned for Imo and Yobe States.”
The scheme is structured to roll out in three phases: 2025 – Pilot implementation in select states (3,000 artisans) 2026, Nationwide rollout, 2027 – Establishment of Regional Centres of Excellence.
NASAP will operate through a Public-Private Partnership framework, with the Ministry providing initial funding and working with development partners such as the World Bank, AFDB, UNDP, GIZ, JICA, and ESG-aligned private investors to mobilise additional resources.
Following the presentation, the Council advised the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to deepen engagement with the National Board for Technical Education to ensure full alignment of NASAP’s curriculum and structure with national certification frameworks.
With strong inter-agency collaboration and sustained support from stakeholders, NASAP has the potential to dramatically raise the quality of construction in Nigeria, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign artisans.
