Abuja, Aug. 12, 2025 – President Bola Tinubu says human capital is Nigeria’s greatest asset, not its natural resources.
Tinubu said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the 2025 National Industrial Manpower Summit (NIMS).
He said for a nation with a median age of about seventeen, Nigeria is an incredibly young country.
“This youthfulness is a gift, but it is also a responsibility. We must make our young people not just a demographic statistic, but a central component of our policy-making process,” the president said.
He also described human capital as the bridge between development and setback in every nation and stressed the need for the country to bridge the gap to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential.
Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, urged the summit to produce actionable recommendations to form the basis of a new policy.
He gave assurance that his administration would adopt and implement viable proposals from the summit with urgency.
The President said the government also had the responsibility to align education and training with industry needs and reverse the mismatch between institutional output and economic requirements.
He called for robust public-private sector collaboration, industrial skills database, sector-specific manpower roadmaps, and an elevated status for vocational and industrial training.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, described manpower development as key to attracting and retaining domestic investment for industrialization.
She said her ministry’s mandate is firmly anchored in the Renewed Hope Agenda for building a stronger, more competitive, and inclusive economy.
