Shettima constitutes multi-sectoral human capital dev committee

The Human Capital Development program focuses on three thematic areas: Health and Nutrition, Labour Force Participation and Education, and six essential human capital development areas. These include under-five mortality rate, malnutrition, adult mortality, expected years of school, quality of learning, and labor force participation rate.

During the meeting, Shettima emphasized the need for government and partners to invest in human capital development to create a workforce that is globally competitive and adaptable to the modern demands of the 21st century. He acknowledged the significant impact of Nigerian business tycoons, Dangote and Elumelu, on the population, noting that every society rises and falls on the quality of its leadership.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Pate, highlighted the importance of investing in human resources and emphasized the need for accountability and accuracy in implementing programs and projects under the initiative.

Representatives of various partners, such as the Nigerian Governors’ Forum Secretariat, British High Commission, United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and JICA, among others, also made remarks. The meeting comes five years after the National Economic Council launched a dedicated Human Capital Development program in response to Nigeria’s dismal performance in global indexes of human capital development.

To drive the program, a Steering Committee has been set up by the NEC, with high-level representatives from the government, private sector, and development agencies. Additionally, a Core Working Group has been established to work directly with states to ensure the practical implementation of the HCD program at the local level.