The Federal Government has unveiled the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP)—a major skills intervention aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical, job-ready expertise and linking them directly to employment opportunities in the construction and housing sectors.
Unveiled by Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, at the 6th National Council on Skills (NCS) meeting in Abuja, NASAP is part of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. The Minister described it as a national strategy to professionalize artisan trades, improve workmanship in housing delivery, and connect skilled individuals to the labor market.
A key innovation within NASAP is the Craft-Hub platform—a digital tool the Minister likened to "Uber for artisans." Upon completion of training and certification, artisans will be profiled and added to a national database accessible by contractors, developers, and the public. These profiles will display location, skills, ratings, and job history to boost trust and employability.
The programme is a six-month intensive training covering 10 high-demand construction trades including masonry, plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, welding, tiling, and HVAC systems. NASAP aims to train and certify 10,000 artisans annually, leveraging existing Building Craft Training Schools in Kuje and Yaba, with new centres planned in Imo and Yobe States.
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The rollout will happen in three phases, beginning with a pilot involving 3,000 participants in selected states this year. A nationwide rollout is set for 2026, followed by the establishment of Regional Centres of Excellence by 2027.
The programme will be executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, combining government funding with support from development partners such as the World Bank, AfDB, UNDP, GIZ, JICA, and ESG-focused private investors.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the launch, praised NASAP as a visionary move to close the infrastructure skills gap and reduce reliance on foreign artisans. He noted that with inter-agency collaboration and strong stakeholder involvement, NASAP can significantly raise construction quality and drive employment across Nigeria.
The Council also recommended aligning NASAP's curriculum with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) standards to ensure certification integrity and long-term sustainability.
