Nigeria Must Reduce Import Dependence to Progress – Masari

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful economic progress if it remains heavily dependent on imports, former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has said.

Speaking at the media launch of the Nigeria Talents Exploration Challenge (NTEC) in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in Abuja, Masari emphasized the need for local production to strengthen the nation’s economy.

“You can never make progress with importation. Your currency can never have meaning with importation. Your energy needs will never be affordable if they are totally dependent on what comes from outside,” he said.

Masari, who now serves as Chairman of the Board of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), highlighted the importance of youth empowerment through technical and vocational skills. He recalled initiatives implemented during his tenure as governor to train over 10,000 young people in various skills.

“The idea of talent hunt and empowering the youth came about because we recognized that they are the future,” he added.

The Nigeria Talents Exploration Challenge is an initiative aimed at fostering innovation, creativity, and skills development among young Nigerians. It builds on a similar program initiated by Masari in Katsina State and has now expanded nationwide.

The national coordinator of NTEC, Arc. Faisal Jaafaru Rafindadi, said the challenge aligns with the Federal Government’s vision to boost economic growth through technical and vocational education.

“Our partnership with the NBTE underscores our commitment to excellence in technical education. We aim to create a platform that inspires and empowers Nigerian youths to become leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs,” Rafindadi said.

The competition is open to Nigerians aged 10 to 40, covering various categories such as automotive modeling, arts and crafts, ICT, technology and innovation, construction, literary arts, and poetry.

In his welcome remarks,the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, expressed optimism about Nigeria’s growing role in global skills development.

“We are happy that this talent hunt, which started in Katsina, has been sustained and is now a national program. With Nigeria’s admission into World Skills International in 2024, we now have a platform to showcase our talents on a global stage,” Bugaje said.

According to him, winners of the talent hunt will have the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the World Skills Africa competition in Zambia in 2025 and the World Skills International event in South Korea in 2026.

“Africa is full of talent, and Nigeria, as the continent’s most populous nation, must take the lead,” he added.