Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has described Akwa Ibom State’s approach to human capital development as a strategic blueprint that other states should emulate
Speaking at the launch of the ARISE Human Capital Development Strategic Plan held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo on Monday, Vice President Shettima specifically acknowledged the state’s data-driven approach as benchmark for nationwide implementation.
He commended Governor Umo Eno for aligning state development objectives with national priorities and delivering measurable progress across key human development indicators.
In his words “With an under-five mortality rate significantly below the national average, and a school-age enrollment rate far above the national benchmark, Akwa Ibom is not just on track, it is setting the pace”.
He highlighted the state’s proactive localization of the National Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme as unprecedented, noting that Akwa Ibom is the first in the country to adapt and operationalize HCD strategies across all local government areas.
“This approach underscores a key principle of HCD 2.0 , integration and impact. What Akwa Ibom has done is not merely adopt a federal initiative; it has institutionalized it across its subnational structures. That’s what leadership looks like,” Shettima added.
According to the Vice President, the federal government, through the HCD 2.0 framework, is focused on outcomes, not optics.
He noted the introduction of a national HCD Dashboard to track live data on health, education, and employment at state and local levels.
“This is a results-based system, and we are aligning our resources accordingly. Data must inform delivery. Behind every metric is a policy challenge and more importantly, a human life,” he stressed.
In his address, Governor Umo Eno reiterated the alignment between the state’s ARISE Agenda and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on people-first policies.
He emphasized that Akwa Ibom’s investments in healthcare, education, and youth skills acquisition are not one-off projects but part of a structured, long-term strategy for inclusive development.
He listed key initiatives of the state to include; the bom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre (IBOM-LED), which has trained over 4,000 people with startup grants ranging from N500,000 to N750,000, the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC), from which over 400 trainees recently graduated.
Others include : International training partnerships, including 16 Akwa Ibom youths in pilot training in France, and 21 engineers trained with Ethiopian Airlines for deployment to Ibom Air,
business empowerment initiatives through the Town Square Meetings, with over N4 billion in grants disbursed to MSMEs, traders, and farmers.
Governor Eno affirmed that these initiatives are designed not only to stimulate economic participation but also to build a resilient, future-ready workforce.
“Our focus is on structural transformation, not tokenism. The HCD Plan is our instrument to drive this shift, and we are fully committed to meeting its targets,” he assured.
