The Presidency has announced that 24 million Nigerians are set to benefit from the Federal Government’s Human Capital Development (HCD) initiative, which aims to improve education, healthcare, and skills training across the nation.
Recall that in 2018, the National Economic Council (NEC) launched the National Human Capital Development Programme to tackle poverty and promote sustainable economic growth, emphasising the importance of HCD.
This initiative aims to expedite targeted investments in people, fostering equitable economic growth across Nigeria.
At the strategy validation stakeholders engagement workshop, held in Abuja yesterday, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the HCD core working group, Senator Ibrahim Ha?ejia, along with the Acting Coordinator of HCD and Special Adviser to the President on NEC and Climate Change, Ru?aiya el-Rufa’i, emphasised the Government’s commitment.
They highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s intention to address the ‘japa’ syndrome through strategic investments in education, health, and skills development.
While talking to newsmen, Ha?ejia emphasised the crucial importance of Human Capital Development, noting that President Bola Tinubu plans to build on the successes achieved by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In response to a question about how this will curb “japa” (a Yoruba term, meaning to leave for better opportunities), the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President encouraged Nigerians to participate in all HCD initiatives to help address their challenges.
He said, “We live in a global setting, and with technology, the world is borderless. First of all, we can’t stop people from leaving Nigeria. What we will do is embrace the HCD initiative that creates opportunities for people to stay at home. This way, they don’t need to leave the country to earn a living. With the HCD initiatives, they can do that here in Nigeria”.
Ha?ejia assured that by increasing access to quality education, enhancing healthcare services, and offering skills training and employment opportunities, many Nigerians will experience improvements in their lives.
In her remarks, the Acting Coordinator of HCD, Ru?aiya el-Rufa’i, emphasised that Human Capital Development is the cornerstone of sustainable economic growth and social progress. She stated that investing in people’s education, health, and skills not only improves individual well-being but also fosters innovation, productivity, and global competitiveness.
Key moments of the event included a panel discussion, a presentation on the HCD regional strategy, and a strategy validation and collaboration session, among other activities.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the Gates Foundation, the World Bank, ECOWAS, the ?angote Foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP), among others.
