Vice President Kashim Shettima has issued a clarion call for urgent and decisive action to improve Nigeria’s human capital development, warning that the nation’s future hinges on the strength of its workforce, the education of its children, and the well-being of its communities. Speaking at a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) Human Capital Development (HCD) Steering Committee at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, Shettima urged state governors, policymakers, and development partners to prioritize implementation over rhetoric, emphasizing that incremental progress is no longer sufficient in the face of mounting socio-economic challenges.
Shettima’s remarks come amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s low ranking on the global Human Capital Index (HCI), which measures health, education, and workforce productivity. In 2018, Nigeria’s poor performance exposed critical gaps, prompting the launch of the HCD program under the NEC. Now in its second phase, HCD 2.0 aims to elevate Nigeria into the top 80 countries on the HCI by 2030 with a target score of 0.6—a goal Shettima described as “ambitious yet achievable” during the committee’s latest session.
“The time for plans and policies has passed; we need swift, targeted, and unrelenting action,” Shettima declared. “Our children’s education, our healthcare systems, and our labor force participation must reflect the urgency of this moment. History will judge us not by our intentions, but by our results.” He stressed that Nigeria’s reliance on natural resources or industrial might must give way to investments in human potential, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda to eradicate poverty and create jobs.
A key pillar of Shettima’s address was a demand for deeper state-level implementation. He tasked the 36 state governors to prioritize five key HCD indicators—under-five mortality, malnutrition, years of schooling, learning quality, and labor force participation—through regular, structured meetings of state HCD councils. “This must become non-negotiable,” he said. “Our governors are the frontline leaders in ensuring these programs reach every Nigerian.” To support this, Shettima called for a nationwide survey to gather real-time data, providing a clearer picture of progress and gaps.
The Vice President also underscored the role of collaboration, urging development partners, corporate leaders, and philanthropists to view HCD as an economic investment rather than charity. “A healthy, educated, and skilled population is the backbone of our prosperity,” he said, citing partnerships with organizations like the World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and local entities such as the Dangote and Tony Elumelu Foundations as vital to scaling impact.
The urgency of Shettima’s appeal reflects Nigeria’s daunting challenges. The country’s unemployment rate, though officially pegged at 5.3% in Q1 2024, masks widespread underemployment and an expanding informal sector. Over 10 million children remain out of school, particularly in the north, while maternal and child mortality rates lag behind global benchmarks. HCD 2.0 seeks to address these through modern healthcare systems, inclusive education with a focus on STEM and digital literacy, and financial inclusion via fintech innovations like online banking and digital payments.
Responses at the meeting underscored broad support. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, warned that “economic expansion without human capital development is an effort in futility,” advocating for a focus on a skilled, healthy population to harness Africa’s demographic dividend. Elsie Attafuah, UNDP Country Representative, praised the government’s vision, calling HCD “the bedrock of sustainable development.”
Shettima framed the initiative as a defining moment for the Tinubu administration. “We’ve chosen to prioritize people over politics, capacity over convenience,” he said. “This is our chance to build a Nigeria that thrives not despite its challenges, but because we confronted them head-on.” He expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s resolve to implement bold solutions, citing recent reforms as evidence of political will.
As Nigeria navigates economic recovery and global competition, Shettima’s push for urgent action on human capital development signals a shift toward long-term resilience. With the clock ticking toward 2030, the success of HCD 2.0 will depend on translating words into measurable outcomes—a challenge the Vice President insists the nation cannot afford to delay.
