The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, has called for a substantial increase in the 2025 budgetary allocation to enhance the ministry’s capacity to tackle unemployment and fulfil its mandate under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the 2025 Budget Defence sessions before the House and Senate Committees on Employment, Labour, and Productivity in Abuja on Monday, Dingyadi emphasised the critical role of job creation in achieving sustainable economic growth.
Dingyadi proposed that additional funds be allocated to renovate, reconstruct, and re-equip the ministry’s skills development centres across the country. These centres, he said, are essential for training individuals in sustainable, skilled professions that can contribute to long-term economic growth.
“The best solution to unemployment is the creation of skilled jobs with starter packs, enabling trainees to establish self-sustaining businesses,” the minister stated.
While acknowledging the job opportunities generated through ongoing infrastructural projects, Dingyadi noted that over 60% of these jobs are unskilled and often temporary. “Once such projects are completed, many workers are left unemployed again. Skill development provides a more enduring solution,” he explained.
The minister revealed that the total 2025 budgetary allocation for the ministry and its agencies stands at over ₦46 billion but argued that this amount falls short of what is required to achieve its objectives. He stressed that a larger budget would enable the ministry to expand its programmes and create meaningful opportunities for Nigeria’s teeming youth population.
During the session, Senator Diket Plang, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, endorsed the minister’s request for increased funding. Plang highlighted the importance of equipping the ministry to deliver on its mandate effectively.
Similarly, Adefarati Adegboyega, Chairman of the House Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, lauded the ministry’s focus on skill development. He argued that sustainable employment initiatives offer a more permanent solution to unemployment compared to short-term palliatives.
“Sustainable skill development programmes not only create jobs but also enhance economic productivity, offering a lasting remedy to the unemployment crisis,” Adegboyega said.
The appeal for a boosted budget aligns with the Tinubu administration’s vision of job creation as a cornerstone of national economic development. If approved, the proposed funding would support the ministry’s efforts to empower individuals with the skills and resources needed to build self-reliant careers, thereby reducing unemployment and contributing to Nigeria’s overall economic growth.