By Palma Ileye
Federal Government through the Ministry of Steel Development has concluded the training of 535 Nigerian Youths in its First Edition of Bootcamp Training on Welding and Fabrication; Industrial Foundry and Metallurgy as well as Instrumentation, Control and Mechanical Maintenance to equip them with practical skills and knowledge that will enable them become productive contributors to the steel and metal sector, and by extension, to the national economy.
The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu who presided over the official Closing Ceremony of the Boot-Camp Training Programme organized by the Ministry on Friday, 23rd of May, 2025, at the Metallurgical Training Institute, MTI, Onitsha, Anambra State, disclosed that the initiative represents a significant stride in the nation’s collective effort to rejuvenate Nigeria’s steel industry and empower the youths with the skills necessary for national development.
Speaking during the ceremony, Audu commended the dedication, resilience, and discipline shown by the trainees over the course of the intensive program.
In a statement signed by Tine-Iulun Maureen, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, For: Head of Information and Public Relations of the Ministry, he emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to youth empowerment through technical and vocational education, stating: “This boot-camp was not just about skills acquisition and equipment empowerment; it was about character development, discipline, and the cultivation of a mindset geared towards innovation, entrepreneurship, and national service. Our strategic aim is to build a pool of competent, patriotic young people who can drive Nigeria’s metallurgical and steel sector forward.”
He stated that for the country to realize its vision for the steel sector, it must invest in human capital, adding that the Bootcamp Training and Empowerment Programme was a testament to the Federal Government commitment to developing a skilled workforce.
According to him, by equipping the youths with practical skills in welding and metallurgy, the nation was laying the foundation for a self-reliant and industrialized Nigeria.
The Minister while reeling out some achievements of the Ministry under his watch revealed that the strategic aim was to evolve over time, a pool of competent, patriotic young Nigerians with passion to drive forward the emerging Nigerian Metallurgical and Steel sector towards a $1trillion USD economy as envisioned by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, by 2030.
He commended the facilitators of the training programme from the Ministry and the Management/Staff and instructors from the Metallurgical Training Institute, MTI, Onitsha, for providing the enabling environment and technical expertise for the smooth execution of the maiden programme and tasked the graduands to be good ambassadors of the programme and pioneers of a new wave of industrial revitalization.
