The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is supporting efforts to strengthen employment creation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) prepares to unveil its five-year plan for improving skills development, enterprise growth and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The plan, scheduled for launch on Thursday, in Abuja, is designed to provide a framework for strengthening the NDE’s institutional effectiveness, improving programme delivery and expanding inclusive employment opportunities.
The ILO Abuja Office disclosed the development in a concept note on the launch, scheduled to hold at Chelsea Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja, between 10 a.m. and noon.
The plan identifies key priorities for strengthening the directorate’s operations and employment interventions, including demand-driven skills development, entrepreneurship and enterprise development, strategic partnerships and improved institutional performance.
It is also expected to provide a framework for aligning the NDE’s programmes with labour market needs and improving interventions designed to help Nigerians acquire employable skills, establish businesses and access sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The concept note explained that the plan was developed through a participatory process involving assessments of the Directorate’s programmes and institutional capacity, labour market analysis, consultations with NDE departments and units, and engagement with relevant government institutions, organised labour, employers, development partners and other stakeholders.
The document explained that issues, observations and recommendations arising from a stakeholders’ consultative workshop were consolidated and incorporated into the draft plan, which subsequently underwent stakeholder validation.
It stated that the launch would formally present the strategic framework to stakeholders and the public, demonstrate the Directorate’s commitment to results-oriented employment promotion and strengthen collective ownership of its implementation.
The event is also expected to reinforce collaboration among government institutions, employers, organised labour and development partners in addressing unemployment and promoting sustainable livelihoods.
The concept note identified the mobilisation of partnerships and resources as a key objective of the launch, alongside presenting the plan’s strategic priorities, objectives and expected outcomes.
Other objectives include strengthening stakeholder ownership, encouraging support for implementation and demonstrating the NDE’s commitment to effective, inclusive and sustainable employment interventions.
The anticipated outcomes include improved public awareness of the plan’s priorities, renewed commitments from government, organised labour, employers and development partners, stronger partnerships for employment promotion and enterprise growth, and increased institutional emphasis on monitoring results and reporting progress.
The director-general and management of the NDE are expected to participate in the launch alongside representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the ILO, the German development agency GIZ, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Representatives of relevant development partners, the National Assembly, NDE departments and units, and the media are also expected to attend.