The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s skilled construction workforce, describing artisans as critical to housing delivery, economic growth and national development.
Dangiwa spoke in Abuja at the 6th Construction Artisans Awards (CAA 2026), where he said the event recognises the men and women “whose hands literally build Nigeria” while promoting professionalism, certification and pride in technical craftsmanship.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa
He said the two-day programme, which featured screening, practical assessments, competitions and upskilling workshops, showcased discipline, innovation and professionalism among participants. According to him, the awards initiative has evolved into a national platform for raising standards in the construction sector through competency assessments, certification pathways and structured skills development.
The Minister explained that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, housing is being repositioned as not just a social service but a key economic driver capable of generating employment, stimulating supply chains and expanding opportunities across multiple sectors.
He, however, expressed concern over the shortage of certified construction artisans in the country, noting that the quality of buildings is directly linked to the quality of available skills.
“The construction sector remains one of Nigeria’s largest employers. Every housing unit built creates work for masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders, tilers, painters and many others. But we must move from labour to skilled labour,” he said.
Dangiwa highlighted the Ministry’s National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP), which aims to train artisans, support certification to national competency standards and connect them to employment opportunities through a digital marketplace and national database.
He described NASAP as an economic empowerment initiative designed to ensure that training leads to work, certification enhances credibility and skills translate into sustainable income.
The Minister also commended Family Homes Funds Limited for partnering in the training of construction artisans nationwide, linking skills development directly to housing delivery and improved livelihoods.
He acknowledged ongoing Technical and Vocational Education and Training reforms by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education, stressing that a strong TVET system is essential for producing the skilled workforce required for modern construction.
Dangiwa added that delivering housing at scale requires coordinated efforts in skills development, certification systems, construction finance, local building materials production and adoption of modern building technologies.
He concluded that the Construction Artisans Awards help elevate the dignity of skilled work, inspire young Nigerians to pursue technical careers and strengthen the workforce pipeline needed to drive Nigeria’s housing and infrastructure development.
