The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has introduced a five-year strategic plan designed to strengthen Nigeria’s employment sector, improve vocational training and create better opportunities for people seeking jobs or looking to establish businesses. The initiative, which covers 2027 to 2031, places the modernisation of 87 Skills Training Centres at the centre of efforts to improve workforce development across the country.
The NDE five-year plan also seeks to improve employment services, strengthen labour-market information systems and ensure that vocational training programmes reflect the changing demands of employers and industries. Through these measures, the Directorate hopes to improve its contribution to job creation and help more Nigerians develop skills that can provide sustainable sources of income.
Director-General of the NDE, Silas Agara, announced the strategic plan during its unveiling in Abuja on Thursday, October 29, 2026. He explained that the framework would provide a common direction for the agency’s departments, state offices and programme delivery structures while helping it respond more effectively to changing labour-market conditions.
Agara said the strategy would focus on demand-driven skills development, entrepreneurship, enterprise growth, strategic partnerships and inclusive employment. He added that the agency wanted to strengthen its institutional capacity and improve the way it delivers employment programmes across Nigeria.
NDE Five-Year Plan Targets Rehabilitation of 87 Training Centres
One of the major priorities of the programme is the improvement of the Directorate’s vocational training infrastructure, particularly its 87 Skills Training Centres, which provide facilities for practical skills acquisition and workforce development.
Agara disclosed that several of the centres require different levels of rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, retooling or complete renovation to meet present-day training requirements. He said the agency would modernise these facilities and harmonise their training curricula to establish consistent standards and improve alignment with industry needs.
The Directorate also operates Agricultural Training Centres and Common Facility Centres, which support its wider employment and skills development programmes. However, the Director-General acknowledged that improving the quality of these facilities and delivering effective training would require sustained financial and institutional support.
He identified the Federal Government, development partners and the private sector as important contributors to the successful implementation of the proposed improvements.
Beyond infrastructure development, the NDE intends to strengthen its collaboration with employers and industry partners so that training programmes can respond more directly to available employment opportunities. The agency also plans to improve data-driven decision-making and provide better assistance to participants after completing their training.
This approach is expected to help beneficiaries move beyond acquiring certificates by giving them stronger support to secure employment, establish viable businesses and maintain sustainable livelihoods.
ILO Supports Improved Employment Services and Labour Market Data
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has welcomed the strategic plan, highlighting the importance of modern employment services and reliable labour-market information in addressing Nigeria’s employment challenges.
Vanessa Phala, Director of the ILO Country Office covering Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS Liaison Office, said the proposed reforms could improve connections between job seekers, employers and available economic opportunities.
She particularly highlighted plans to establish a modern Public Employment Service and strengthen labour-market information systems, explaining that these improvements could help the NDE make better decisions and provide more effective assistance to job seekers and entrepreneurs.
Phala also noted that technological advancement, demographic changes and emerging industries continue to reshape the nature of work, making it necessary for employment institutions to adjust their programmes to meet new workforce requirements.
She described the initiative as an important opportunity to support the implementation of Nigeria’s National Employment Policy 2025 and promote productive employment and decent work.
The ILO supported the development of the NDE five-year plan through its Strengthening Employment and Employability Systems in Nigeria (SEESIN) project, implemented through its collaboration with Germany’s development agency, GIZ, under the Skills Development for Youth Employment Programme (SKYE II).
Funding and Implementation Remain Major Priorities
Despite the ambitions outlined in the strategy, the NDE leadership acknowledged that achieving its objectives would require adequate funding, effective partnerships and clear institutional responsibilities.
Agara stressed that the agency must integrate the plan’s priorities into its annual work plans and budgets while establishing measurable targets to assess progress throughout the five-year period.
Phala also emphasised the need for regular monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms to ensure that the proposed reforms produce measurable improvements. She called on government institutions, employers’ organisations, workers’ groups and development partners to align their contributions with the programme’s objectives.
The success of the NDE five-year plan will ultimately depend on how effectively the agency translates its commitments into improved training facilities, relevant vocational skills, stronger employment services and sustainable business opportunities.
With implementation scheduled to begin in 2027, the initiative presents an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s employment support system. However, its long-term impact will depend on consistent funding, effective coordination and the ability to connect skills development with real opportunities in the labour market.