The committee was inaugurated in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, shortly after Nigeria’s admission as the 89th member of World Skills International (WSI), a global body dedicated to promoting skills excellence and workforce competitiveness.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Alausa described Nigeria’s membership of WorldSkills International as a major milestone, noting that it signalled a renewed national commitment to building a globally competitive workforce.
He explained that the development culminated over a decade of strategic engagement, collaboration and alignment with international best practices, beginning in 2013 and leading to Nigeria’s admission in August 2024.
The National Working Committee is chaired by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, with the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, serving as Vice-Chairman. The 14-member committee comprises representatives from key government institutions and the private sector.
Prof. Bugaje said Nigeria’s entry into WorldSkills International followed what he described as an audacious journey spanning more than a decade, driven by passion, resilience and institutional commitment. He noted that sustained collaboration among stakeholders ensured the successful completion of the country’s application process and payment of membership fees.
Other members of the committee highlighted the global impact of WorldSkills, which currently has over 89 member countries and regions, covering nearly two-thirds of the world’s population. They noted that the organisation sets global standards for skills benchmarking, technical and vocational education, and capacity building for instructors.
WorldSkills International, founded over 75 years ago, serves as a global platform for skills excellence, empowering young people to transform their communities through high-quality skills acquisition. The inauguration of WorldSkills Nigeria, stakeholders said, opens a new chapter for the country—one defined by opportunity, competitiveness and national pride.
With Dr. Ibraheem Abdul on the National Working Committee, Yaba College of Technology is expected to play a strategic role in shaping policies and programmes that align skills development with industry needs, inspire Nigerian youth to embrace technical skills as a first-choice pathway, and enhance national productivity.
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