The Federal Government has announced plans to develop a digital platform aimed at connecting trained artisans with job opportunities in the construction industry.
The initiative, dubbed “Uber for Artisans,” will serve as an online marketplace, making skilled workers more visible, accessible, and efficient in delivering their services.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, disclosed this plan while receiving the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Development, Hon. Adamson Ayinde, and his team at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement published on the ministry’s website on Wednesday.
He stressed that the platform will enhance the earning potential of artisans while ensuring that individuals and contractors have easy access to verified professionals for their construction needs.
“Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has disclosed the plan of the Ministry to create an online application for skilled workers, aimed at leveraging technology to make artisans more visible, accessible and efficient in delivering their services,” the statement read in part.
It added, “He explained that 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, adding the platform would enhance the earning potential of artisans and ensure that customers have access to skilled professionals for their construction needs.”
More insight
The statement further revealed that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has conceived the National Artisan Skill Acquisition Program (NASA) to address the shortage of skilled artisans in the construction industry and create sustainable livelihoods for young Nigerians.
- Set to launch within the year, the program aims to equip youths with construction-related skills such as plumbing, electrical work, masonry, carpentry, and more. It will also collaborate with relevant government agencies, institutions, and the private sector to train and certify artisans.
- As part of this initiative, the ministry is working to complete and operationalize vocational training centers in Abuja, Lagos, and Imo states. The 2025 budget proposal document includes allocations for these centers, underscoring the government’s commitment to bridging the skills gap in the construction sector.
The Minister further stated that some of these institutions would be rehabilitated in the coming months to serve as hubs for hands-on training and capacity building. To facilitate this, a committee will be set up within three months to develop a training framework and engage with key stakeholders, including relevant associations in the building industry.
