The government of Singapore has committed to partnering with Nigeria to enhance youth capacity building and strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations.
This was disclosed by Maliki Osman, Singapore’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs, during a visit to Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Osman emphasized the potential of Nigeria’s youthful population, with a median age of 17, for driving economic growth and development.
“We see immense opportunities for young people in Nigeria. As a country that has experienced rapid development through human capital investment, Singapore understands the importance of capacity building,” Osman said. “We have little natural resources and relied heavily on human resources for our success. This experience is something we are eager to share with Nigeria.”
Osman revealed plans to meet with Nigeria’s Minister of Education to discuss collaborations, particularly in technical and vocational training for Nigerian youths.
“There are proposals to enhance technical and vocational training, and we are exploring ways to advance this partnership to support Nigeria’s manpower development efforts,” he added.
Singapore also pledged to prioritize training government officials through its cooperation programs, including the Singapore Africa Partnership, which offers tailored training opportunities for African nations.
Additionally, Osman highlighted areas such as ICT, artificial intelligence (AI), and renewable energy as promising sectors for expanding economic engagement between the two countries.
While receiving the Singaporean delegation, Dunoma Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lauded Singapore’s contributions to Nigeria’s GDP and job creation. He reassured the delegation of the Nigerian government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
“Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, is diversifying its economy beyond oil into sectors like mining, agriculture, renewable energy, and tourism. We invite Singaporean companies to explore investment opportunities in these areas,” Ahmed said.
Both nations pledged to strengthen their partnership amidst global economic challenges, with a focus on fostering growth and development through youth empowerment and innovation.
