The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria has inaugurated its 2025 Summer Skills Acquisition Camp in Abuja to empower youths with creative and entrepreneurial skills.
In a statement, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said the step was in the right direction to sustain the future of the country.
He said, “The camp that will last for three weeks and is open to secondary school students will expose attendees to masonry, plumbing, tiling, painting, and interior design and is being held at the School of Architectural Technicians Scheme, Kuje, Abuja. The centre was born through collaborative efforts between the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and ARCON.”
According to the Minister, who was represented by the Director and Head of Public Buildings and Housing Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Pemi Temitope, one of President Tinubu’s visions was to have a country where no child is left behind in the journey of development.
“Today, we are not just inaugurating a camp. We are investing in the future workforce of Nigeria. We are affirming that the true foundation of national development is not merely in bricks and mortar, but in the hands that mould them, the minds that design them, and the skills that sustain them.
The Federal Government’s recent introduction of 15 compulsory skills into basic education is a bold and strategic response to bridge the widening skills gap in our nation.
He continued, “It is a declaration that every Nigerian child must be equipped not only with theoretical knowledge but also with practical, employable skills that can foster self-reliance and national productivity.
This Summer Skill Acquisition Camp, focusing on masonry, plumbing, tiling, painting, and interior design, is a pilot edition of a vision that we intend to replicate and scale across Nigeria.
Dangiwa added, “It represents a practical collaboration between the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, aimed at nurturing the next generation of builders, designers, and artisans. The programme will bridge the gap in skill acquisition in the country by introducing the young participants to structured, hands-on learning, where skill meets creativity and training meets opportunity.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, Dr Gabriel Ajayi, said, “This camp is not designed as a mere training session but as the seed of a Centre of Excellence.”
He continued, “A hub where hard and soft skills will be built, where relevant research will be conducted, and where cross-fertilisation of ideas will thrive to advance Nigeria’s built environment. We envision this centre evolving into a living laboratory of innovation, where students, professionals, and industry stakeholders engage in continuous learning, problem-solving, and knowledge-sharing.
He concluded, “To our young participants: you are the first beneficiaries of a movement that will redefine the future of technical education in Nigeria. The skills you acquire here, whether in masonry, plumbing, tiling, painting, or interior design, will not only prepare you for personal success but will position you as key players in Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural transformation.”
In his closing remarks, the ARCON Registrar, Mohammed Sule, said ARCON was proud to align with the national agenda of equipping secondary school students with relevant vocational skills.
He added that, through this initiative, the Council is sowing seeds that will empower the next generation of professionals, innovators, and responsible citizens, urging the students to make the most of the opportunity.
