Masari Champion Abuja Interior Summit, Targets 1,000 Nigerians for NBTE–Vento Skills Training in Nigeria
By Fatima Saka
A major skills revolution is set to sweep through Nigeria’s creative and manufacturing sectors as the Abuja Interior and Furniture Summit, driven by former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, rolls out an ambitious plan to empower 1,000 Nigerians with industry-relevant soft skills in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and Vento Furniture.
The initiative, described by organisers as a “capacity-building milestone,” is aimed at bridging a critical gap in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding interior design and furniture industry, the shortage of professionals equipped not just with technical know-how, but with the soft skills required to compete in a modern marketplace.
Project Coordinator, Faisal Jafar Rafindadi, said the summit goes beyond traditional craftsmanship training, focusing instead on the competencies that determine long-term business success. These include communication, customer engagement, workplace ethics, business management, and entrepreneurial development.
According to Rafindadi, while Nigeria boasts abundant creative talent, many artisans and designers struggle to scale their businesses due to limited exposure to structured business practices and professional standards. The summit, he noted, seeks to correct that imbalance.
He explained that Masari, as the founding father of the summit, is driving a broader vision to strengthen local capacity and position Nigeria’s interior and furniture industry as a competitive force both regionally and globally.
“The future of the industry depends not only on what we build with our hands, but on how we manage clients, negotiate contracts, run sustainable enterprises, and adapt to global standards,” Rafindadi said.
The involvement of NBTE is expected to ensure that the programme aligns with national technical education benchmarks, giving participants structured and credible training. Meanwhile, Vento Furniture will provide industry-based exposure, offering practical insights into production processes, quality control, branding, and market positioning.
Stakeholders say the summit represents more than a training programme — it is an economic intervention designed to stimulate job creation and support small and medium-scale enterprises along the interior design and furniture value chain.
With unemployment and underemployment remaining pressing national concerns, the empowerment of 1,000 Nigerians through structured skills development could have ripple effects across manufacturing, retail, real estate, and construction sectors.
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Beyond training, the Abuja Interior and Furniture Summit is also expected to serve as a networking hub, fostering collaboration between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, policymakers, and investors. Industry observers believe it could spark innovation, encourage homegrown production, and reduce reliance on imported furniture products.
If successfully implemented, the initiative may mark a turning point in professionalising Nigeria’s interior and furniture industry — transforming raw talent into sustainable enterprises and turning creativity into measurable economic growth.
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