The federal government says it has supported nearly 300,000 Nigerians through skills development programmes aimed at improving employability, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 17th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (NCITI) in Enugu.

The council is themed, “Enhancing Competitiveness in Industry, Trade and Investment for Inclusive Growth and Global Market Integration.”

Mrs Oduwole said the interventions were part of efforts to translate the reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda into increased production, investment, exports and job creation.

She said the ministry had facilitated more than 50 billion U.S. dollars in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) commitments, recorded about 6.1 billion U.S. dollars in non-oil exports and captured over 500,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in its national database.

“The Bank of Industry has disbursed over N600 billion to businesses and nearly 300,000 Nigerians have been supported through skills programmes.

“Our focus remains on converting training into jobs, enterprise and sustainable economic growth,” she said.

The minister described the council as a platform for aligning national and sub-national strategies to transform Nigeria’s economy.

She said competitiveness would depend on the country’s ability to produce efficiently, improve logistics, regulate markets and attract quality investments.

Mrs Oduwole added that the ministry was implementing policies to strengthen manufacturing, agro-processing, industrial clusters, special economic zones, technology and skills development.

She said the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) was also positioning Nigerian professionals to benefit from opportunities in the global services market.

The minister urged states to develop their comparative advantages into productive industrial clusters and investment-ready projects through partnerships with the private sector and development organisations.

She charged participants to ensure that the council’s resolutions were supported with implementation plans, measurable targets and timelines.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh, said industrial competitiveness was critical to Nigeria’s economic future amid changes in technology, trade, climate and manufacturing.

Mr Enoh said the Nigerian Industrial Policy 2025 provided a framework for positioning industry as a driver of economic growth, value addition, employment and export competitiveness.

He said Nigeria must move away from exporting raw materials and focus on domestic manufacturing and value addition.

In his remarks, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, called for policies that would remove barriers to investment and industrial development.

Mr Mbah identified access to finance, infrastructure and effective implementation of economic policies as key to improving Nigeria’s competitiveness.

Earlier, the Enugu State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, said the state remained committed to creating a business-friendly environment to attract investment and promote industrial growth. 

(NAN)