Building Nigeria’s future: Why human capital wants everybody on the desk

Nigeria’s best useful resource is its folks. Their well being, training, expertise and skill to earn a residing will form the nation’s prosperity and decide the alternatives accessible to future generations. For this motive, investing in folks is central to nationwide growth.

It is an effort that requires authorities management, private-sector funding and the lively participation of society as a complete.

This was the message of the National Coordinator of the National Human Capital Development Programme 2.0 (HCD 2.0), Rukaiya el-Rufai, on the thirty second Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#32), held on October 26 and 27, 2026, on the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Speaking throughout a panel session on “Business-Led Investment in Human Capital”, she referred to as for a society-wide method to human capital growth, with stronger coordination throughout sectors and accountability for measurable outcomes.

El-Rufai emphasised that efforts to increase alternatives ought to translate into tangible enhancements within the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians. The session examined how companies, authorities and growth companions might work collectively to advance the nation’s human capital growth agenda throughout well being and diet, training and expertise, and labour and livelihoods.

Other panellists included Ekenem Isichei, Deputy Director of Programme Advocacy and Communications (Nigeria) on the Gates Foundation; Dr Joe Abah, Regional Director for Africa at DAI Global; and William Benthall, Global Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Glovo and Delivery Hero.

The message is especially related to a rustic with a big younger inhabitants and important alternatives to enhance the wellbeing and productiveness of its folks. A baby’s well being and diet affect the flexibility to study and develop. The high quality of training determines the data and expertise acquired, whereas entry to first rate employment creates alternatives for younger folks to use these expertise and contribute to the economic system. Progress throughout these areas can enhance particular person lives and strengthen the nation’s growth prospects.

At the Summit’s dinner session, El-Rufai used the story of Amina, an illustrative Nigerian woman who shall be 22 in 2048, to exhibit how choices made right this moment will form the subsequent era. Amina’s future shall be influenced by her mom’s well being and diet throughout being pregnant, the care she receives after beginning, the standard of her training and the abilities she develops as she grows. By the time she enters maturity, these investments may have a bearing on her well being, alternatives and skill to earn a residing.

Nigeria’s human capital indicators present why sustained consideration to those areas stays essential. Findings from the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey put under-five mortality at 110 deaths per 1,000 stay births, whereas roughly 40 per cent of kids underneath 5 are stunted. About 73 per cent of kids aged 7–14 are unable to learn a easy story and reply questions on it, whereas 26 per cent of primary-school-age youngsters are out of faculty. In the primary quarter of 2024, 14.4 per cent of younger folks weren’t in employment, training or coaching.

Improving these outcomes has advantages that reach past particular person households. Modelling introduced in the course of the discussions means that earnings might improve by 50 per cent if all youngsters achieved world benchmark studying outcomes. Earnings might additionally rise by 23 per cent if all youngsters accomplished 13 years of education as a substitute of the present common of about 9 years. These projections illustrate the financial worth of making certain that youngsters obtain a powerful basis and younger folks have alternatives to develop their potential.

Through HCD 2.0, the Federal Government is advancing a coordinated method to those priorities. The Programme is organised round three pillars: well being and diet; training and studying; and expertise, employment and livelihoods. It offers a framework for bringing related establishments and stakeholders collectively, aligning interventions and strengthening consideration to outcomes throughout the completely different areas of human capital growth.

The non-public sector is a vital companion on this nationwide effort. Businesses rely on a wholesome, educated and expert workforce to function, increase and stay aggressive. They even have the capability to contribute by funding, innovation, know-how, office coaching and employment creation. Greater engagement with companies may help join training and expertise growth to the altering wants of the labour market, whereas opening up extra alternatives for Nigerians.

HCD 2.0 recognises this position by the Private Sector Partnership Group (PSPG), with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) serving as its Coordinating Secretariat. The association offers a platform for facilitating private-sector engagement, mobilising enterprise sources and experience, selling public-private collaboration and aligning investments with nationwide human capital growth priorities.

NESG has demonstrated this position by convening the HCD Policy Forum in March 2026 underneath the PSPG. The discussion board introduced collectively authorities, enterprise and growth stakeholders to debate private-sector-led funding, expertise gaps, early interventions and sustainable human capital growth. It supplied a chance to look at how companies might help nationwide priorities and contribute to raised outcomes in well being, training and employment.

The NES#32 discussions additionally highlighted the connection between enterprise funding, expertise and job creation. Contributions from William Benthall of Glovo/Delivery Hero introduced a enterprise perspective to the dialogue, whereas the instance of a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider using 3,000 brokers illustrated the employment alternatives that funding in folks and companies can help. Such examples level to the worth of nearer relationships between employers, training establishments and authorities in making ready younger Nigerians for accessible alternatives.

Government management stays central to this course of. Public establishments present the coverage path, important companies and enabling surroundings inside which people and companies can thrive. Private-sector participation strengthens this effort by bringing extra funding, experience and employment alternatives. Development companions, civil society and communities additionally contribute by their expertise, sources and engagement with folks on the grassroots. Bringing these contributions collectively can prolong the attain and influence of human capital interventions.

Sustaining progress may even require predictable financing and powerful establishments. Development companions proceed to play an essential position in supporting human capital initiatives, whereas larger home possession and funding will assist consolidate the positive aspects. Giving well being, training and expertise growth applicable consideration in nationwide and state budgets will help implementation over time. Strong institutional preparations also can protect progress and keep momentum throughout successive administrations.

Nigeria’s place on the World Bank’s 2025 Human Capital Index Plus (HCI+) offers additional context for the work forward. The nation ranks 131 out of 325 nations and economies, with a rating above the Sub-Saharan African common however under the lower-middle-income nation common. Education stays an space requiring specific consideration. HCD 2.0 has set a 2030 ambition to lift Nigeria’s Human Capital Index to 0.6 and place the nation among the many high 80. Although the HCI+ rating and the 0.6 goal are completely different measures, each replicate the significance of continued funding and enchancment.

Achieving the 2030 ambition will rely on translating nationwide priorities into coordinated motion. Federal and state governments, companies, growth companions, civil society and communities every have contributions to make. Regular monitoring, dependable knowledge and accountability will assist stakeholders assess progress, determine areas requiring consideration and direct sources the place they will make the best distinction.

The discussions at NES#32 displays the rising significance of bringing these efforts collectively. Human capital growth will not be solely a authorities precedence; it is usually an financial and social concern for companies, households and communities. When individuals are wholesome, educated and geared up with related expertise, the advantages prolong throughout households, workplaces and the broader economic system.

Nigeria’s human capital growth journey requires greater than good insurance policies and impressive targets. It calls for sustained dedication, shared accountability and deliberate motion from each stakeholder. The choices made right this moment will decide the standard of life, alternatives and productiveness of the subsequent era. Government should present management, companies should make investments, growth companions should help, and communities should stay actively engaged.

Ultimately, the progress Nigeria makes in creating its folks will rely not on what particular person stakeholders can obtain alone, however on how successfully they work collectively in direction of a shared nationwide aim.

Lawan Bukar Maigana is the Knowledge Management and Communications Consultant for the National Human Capital Development Programme HCD 2.0