Prof. Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), says government and organised private sector must join hands to upgrade and formalise all informal apprenticeships in Africa.

Bugaje said this on Monday at the Formal Launching and Workshop on Sub-Saharan Skills and Apprenticeship Stakeholders Network (SASASNET) in Abuja.

According to him, Africa is at a crossroads as many of its youths largely unskilled and uncertified, escaping the continent through dangerous means and a lot of time ending up in refugee camps.

He said that Africa must either skills up its youths or continue to remain the world’s poverty continent with many of its youths largely unskilled and uncertified.

Bugaje, who is also the Chairman of SASASNET, said African continent, especially its Sub-Saharan part had been experiencing challenges in the past decades.

He identified energy shortfalls, environmental degradation and challenges of harnessing Africa’s human endowment in its informal skill sector to meet local demands and export.

“A recent regional workshop in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, held from Feb. 23 to 24, 2023, organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Bank and the government of Benin, deliberated on this informal apprenticeships.

”It was concluded that government and Organised Private Sector (OPS) must join hands to upgrade and formalise all informal apprenticeships in the region.

”It was at the workshop that some delegates decided to set up SASASNET, initially for English Speaking countries as we noticed Francophone Africa are far ahead of us in skills development.

”The network shall spearhead the crusade for interventions from both governments and OPS to re-engineer these vital, talent, untapped potentials of the informal sector for future industrialisation of Africa,” he said.

He urged that the upcoming 25billion dollars Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, designed to deliver gas from the Gulf of Guinea to Europe should not be allowed to suffer, hence the need for skills.

He regretted the recently completed world’s largest single train refinery in Lagos by the Dangote Group, wherein over 11,000 skilled labour, largely from India were imported to Nigeria to deliver it.

“For this not to happen again is the reason for the establishment of the SASASNET.

“The primary objective is for Sub-Saharan African countries to share experiences in apprenticeship training in the skills development agenda.

“This is to enable us become self-sufficient and even have surplus certified skilled labour for export.”

Declaring the workshop opened, Vice President Kashim Shettima said that African continent must stop exporting jobs and skilled workers in order to grow its economy.

Shettima was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejo.

According to him, the time is now and it is doable and achievable. We must put our hands on deck to make it work.

”The African continent had been unable to take advantage of opportunities for which its citizens could contribute optimally to its development by not paying adequate attention to the informal sector.

”This manifests in the absence of semi-skilled workers in areas that are necessary for technological advancement.

”The need for this conference is further underscored by the fact that if Africa is to be the next continent of destination, we can no longer afford to be exporting jobs with its attendant loss of much needed foreign exchange earnings.’’

According to the vice president, skills are now the currency of labour and steps must be taken to promote skills so that the continent will not be left behind.

He called on stakeholders to maintain standards, quality assurance and regulations of the production of skilled manpower across the region.

In his remarks, the Education Specialist from the World Bank, Mr Tunde Adekola underscored the need for coalition from all stakeholders to move informal apprenticeships to the next level.

He said proffering innovation to existing knowledge and focus more on their improvement would help largely promote the informal sector.

Adekola, who called for equitable access to apprenticeships, pledged to work with stakeholders to strengthen the initiative.

The event is supported by the World Bank, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (NAN)