The Federal Government says it is set to unveil ‘Uber for Artisans,’ a digital platform planned to enhance visibility of artisans and improve service delivery in the construction industry.
Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit by Adamson Ayinde, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, said the Uber for Artisans platform will be a game changer in Nigeria’s construction industry.
“I believe that the Uber for Excel platform will be a game changer in the construction industry, as it will not only bridge a gap between supply and demand, but also promoting transparency and quality service delivery.”
– Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Minister of Housing and Urban Development
The Minister says the digital platform will serve as an online marketplace where trained and certified artisans can connect with potential customers, adding that it would enhance the earning potential of artisans and ensure that customers have access to skilled professionals for their construction needs
Addressing the skills gap with NASA
The Minister says the digital platform will serve as an online marketplace where trained and certified artisans can connect with potential customers, adding that it would enhance the earning potential of artisans and ensure that customers have access to skilled professionals for their construction needs
Beyond digitisation, Dangiwa says that FG is tackling the shortage of skilled artisans through the National Artisan Skill Acquisition Programme (NASA). The initiative aims to train and certify young Nigerians in plumbing, electrical works, masonry, carpentry, and other construction-related skills.
“The digital platform to be named ‘Uber for Artisans’ will serve as an online market place where trained and certified artisans can connect with potential customers,” Dangiwa says. “It would also enhance the earning potential of artisans and ensure that customers have access to skilled professionals for their construction needs.”
To support this, Dangiwa adds, the Ministry is rehabilitating vocational training centers in Abuja, Lagos, and Imo States that will serve as hubs for hands-on training and capacity building. He says that construction work is ongoing at 14 sites for 10,112 housing units, with significant portions expected to be commissioned within the next couple of months, creating jobs for over 252,000 Nigerians.
Presidency’s push for more certified artisans
Adamson Ayinde commends the Minister’s leadership in the Renewed Hope Housing Development Program, noting that a shortage of skilled artisans remains a key challenge in the construction industry.
“To address this, he informed that his office was collaborating with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and the Department of Federal Public Assets Maintenance (FPAM) to propose a six-month training and certification programme for Nigerian artisans.”
He added that a formal proposal outlining the implementation framework, training curriculum, and expected outcomes would be submitted to the Ministry.
Dr Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, reaffirms the FG’s commitment to affordable housing, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “We are actively carrying out multiple housing development projects nationwide, and our efforts are yielding positive results,” he adds.
Article edited by Yusuf Balogun.
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