Minister Dangiwa Presents NASAP Vision, Digital Craft-Hub at National Council on Skills  * Says Craft-Hub: Uber for artisans will make it easy to find verified artisans - just like booking a ride The Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has formally presented the National Artisan Skills Acquisition Programme (NASAP) to stakeholders at the 6th National Council on Skills (NCS), chaired by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima at Presidential Villa, Abuja.   "NASAP is a strategic response to the deepening shortage of skilled artisans in Nigeria’s construction sector" Dangiwa stated.   The Minister described NASAP as a flagship intervention under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, designed to deliver practical, market-ready skills to Nigerian youth and raise the standard of housing delivery across the country.   “Whether it’s public or private housing projects, poor workmanship is undermining quality and safety”;   “NASAP is not just another training scheme. It’s a national effort to professionalize artisanship, restore quality, and connect skills to jobs”, the Minister stated.   A key feature of NASAP is Craft-Hub, a digital platform that the Minister described as “Uber for artisans.”    After undergoing training and certification, artisans will be digitally profiled and onboarded to a national database accessible to developers, contractors, and the general public. Each profile will include location, trade, ratings, and work history, building trust and enhancing job opportunities.   “We are building trust in skills,” the Minister said. “Craft-Hub will make it easy to find verified artisans — just like booking a ride.”   NASAP is designed as a 6-month intensive training programme, combining classroom instruction, hands-on practicals, mentorship, and jobsite exposure. It covers 10 high-demand construction trades: 1.    Bricklaying and Masonry 2.    Plumbing and Pipefitting 3.    Electrical Installations 4.    Carpentry and Woodwork 5.    Painting and Decorative Finishes 6.    Welding and Fabrication 7.    Tiling and Floor Finishing 8.    POP and Screeding 9.    Upholstery and Furniture Craft 10.    Air Conditioning and Refrigeration   The goal is to train and certify 10,000 artisans annually, creating a steady pipeline of skilled professionals to meet the demands of Nigeria’s growing housing sector.   The programme will leverage existing Building Craft Training Schools in Kuje and Yaba, with new centres planned for Imo and Yobe States.    NASAP is structured to roll out in three phases: * 2025 - Pilot implementation in select states (3,000 artisans) * 2026 - Nationwide rollout * 2027 - Establishment of Regional Centres of Excellence.   NASAP will operate through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, with the Ministry providing initial funding and working with development partners such as the World Bank, AFDB, UNDP, GIZ, JICA, and ESG aligned private investors to mobilize additional resources.   “We recognise that we cannot do this alone,” the Minister noted. “Our strategy is collaborative. Everyone, states, DFIs, employers, and training institutions has a role to play.”   In his response, Vice President Kashim Shettima commended the Honourable Minister for the initiative, describing NASAP as a game-changing intervention that aligns with the federal government’s priority to close the skills gap in infrastructure delivery.   “This initiative is timely and visionary,” the Vice President said. “If properly implemented, NASAP will go a long way in fixing the skills deficit that continues to undermine construction quality across the country.”   Following the presentation, the Council advised the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to deepen engagement with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to ensure full alignment of NASAP’s curriculum and structure with national certification frameworks. With strong inter-agency collaboration and sustained support from stakeholders, NASAP has the potential to dramatically raise the quality of construction in Nigeria, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign artisans. ...

Dangiwa, Ata Attend Mabushi Mosque Special Friday Service, Commissioning A SpecialJuma'at prayer session was held at the reconstructed Juma'at mosque in Mabushi, Abuja, Friday, July 11th, 2025.   The special prayer service was conducted, signifying the commissoning of the Jumu'at mosque which had undergone reconstruction and expansion to accomodate the muslims population around the mabushi community, and the cluster of Ministries of Environment, Works, and Housing and Urban Development.   The prayer service was attended by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Lamido Belgore, and hundreds of Muslims in and around the mabushi community.   In his sermon, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Sheikh Auwal Muhammad Mai-gaskiya, emphasized the importance of Muslims utilizing their wealth in a spiritual perspective and contributing to the progress of their Islamic faith.    The reconstructed mosque is a stunning structure with Arabian architectural design, featuring a dome and minaret that enhance its visibility from afar.    The mosque has separate sections for male and female worshippers, and is equipped with well-designed toilets and sanitary facilities, including multiple taps with running water for purification and performing ablutions.   The mosque's design and facilities reflect its commitment to providing a comfortable and conducive environment for worshippers.    The attendance of senior government officials which included the Ministers, underscores the significance of the occasion, and the support for religious and community initiatives. ...

Housing Ministry Director Showcases Innovations for Housing Construction    * minister applauds effort, encourages further research, comparison for possible modification, improvement.   * requests comprehensive report on how to use bricks construction for Social Housing Programme.   Arc. Ibechile Christopher Egwudale, the Director and Head of Department of Federal Public Assets Maintenance (FPAM), in the Housing Ministry, has showcased a variety of inventions/ machines that will bring about cost effectiveness in housing construction.   Egwudale made the presentation to the Honourable Minister,  Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa and the management staff of the Ministry, led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, explaining that, the innovations will minimize construction cost for affordable housing.   The innovative machines include both manual and semi-automated models, designed for scalability, ease of use, and durability.   Among the notable machines were; a wide range of construction and agro-processing equipment such as interlocking Compressed Earth Block (CEB) machines (both manual and automated), pulverizing and sifting machines, compacting and hoisting devices, sandcrete mixers, mini-tractors, ogbono seed cutters, and food processing machines like the hammer mill, de-stoner, and mixers.     "This innovation supports the use of locally sourced materials, reducing dependence on expensive imported products and minimizing construction cost especially for affordable housing" he stated.    He further explained that, the idea behind the development is to create a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and efficient alternative to conventional building materials by utilizing Compressed Earth Block (CEB) technology.   "Their application in the housing sector will not only promote sustainable construction practices but also generate local employment, empower artisans, and accelerate project delivery timelines across rural and urban areas", he  remarked.   In his remarks, the Minister applauded the effort of the Director for bringing innovative ideas in designing different machines for bricks housing construction.    While encouraging the Director to carry out further research and make comparison to see areas of modification and improvement, Dangiwa also requested him to come up with extensive and comprehensive report on how to use bricks construction for Social Housing Programme.   On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Belgore applauded the efforts of the Director for coming up with the innovative ideas, and encouraged him to continue to strive towards achieving the desired objectives to get affordable social housing. He requested him to bring up the designs of the bricks housing units to the ministry for assessment.   Arc. Egwudale, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria, had a specialized training in Compressed Earth Block (CEB) Technology in South Africa.   Since joining the Federal Civil Service, he has distinguished himself through innovative design and technological advancement. He has championed several high-impact projects and won multiple design competitions within the Ministry.   He notably designed and produced four machines for the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), and has won the Best New Entrant Award at Archi-Built Exhibition where he attracted the highest visitor traffic to his stand.   Egwudale has participated in numerous exhibitions, including the Abuja Housing Show, and the Science and Technology Expositions where he showcased a variety of inventions including a go-kart (buggy) and various machines.    ...