The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria has reiterated the urgent need to reduce unemployment by training artisans. At the 22nd induction ceremony of new builders, Anthony Okwa, a senior member of the council, told *Sunday* that the organization aims to train 10 million artisans over the next 20 years to help close the country’s housing and infrastructure gaps.
Okwa highlighted that an infrastructure investment of $2.3 trillion could raise Nigeria’s infrastructure stock from the current 30‑35 percent to 70 percent by 2043, according to Finance Minister of State Clem Agba. He stressed that any government serious about infrastructure development and housing delivery must promote technical and vocational education, thereby increasing demand for indigenous labour.
“It is generally estimated that we have a shortfall of about 20 million housing units,” Okwa said. “For every building there are countless artisans—masons, carpenters, plumbers—so a typical project site needs hundreds of skilled workers. The number of artisans cannot remain static while the population grows and development needs expand.” He warned that Nigeria’s infrastructure has been in a “comatose” state, underscoring the need for new schools, homes, and other facilities.
“For a country of 200 million people with a housing deficit of 20 million, we must train at least 10 million artisans in the next 20 years to meet that demand,” Okwa added. The council’s target is to produce at least 100 000 new artisans each year, and it has already trained 40 000 individuals. This ambitious push aims to significantly boost the number of building professionals and address the nation’s critical shortage of skilled labour.
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