The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, has expressed readiness to support initiatives aimed at promoting innovation, enterprise development, and employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
Darma said empowering citizens with relevant skills remained critical to achieving sustainable economic growth and national development.
The minister spoke when he received the Abuja Interior and Furniture Summit Group, led by its Coordinator, Faisal Jafar Rafindadi, at the ministry.
The group visited the ministry to seek partnership and support for the summit, which is designed to provide a strategic platform for advancing Nigeria’s furniture and interior design industry, promoting locally manufactured furniture and creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
Darma described the initiative as a viable platform for unlocking the potential of young people and creating sustainable employment opportunities across the furniture and interior design value chain.
He said the sector could provide opportunities in technical services, design, manufacturing, transportation, interior decoration and other related areas.
“I personally believe in the vision and ambition behind the initiative. I believe in what you are trying to do, and I am willing to support efforts aimed at ensuring its success,” he said.
The minister, however, stressed the need for any funding support to be properly channelled, saying he would want to see a significant component of the resources dedicated to improving the capacity, skills and economic opportunities of young people.
He said the initiative had the potential to expose young Nigerians to opportunities in the sector while equipping them with practical skills to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
Darma described furniture and interior design as a comprehensive value chain with strong linkages to the building and construction industry, transportation, manufacturing and decoration.
“This initiative would not only promote furniture production but also create opportunities for young people across different areas of the value chain, including technical work, design, manufacturing, transportation and decoration,” he said.
The minister also noted that furniture and interior design required critical thinking, creativity and design thinking, stressing the importance of translating innovative ideas into functional and marketable products.
He urged the summit coordinator to remain focused and determined despite possible challenges, saying successful implementation could create jobs for a large number of young people while helping them discover and maximise their talents.
Summit Targets Local Furniture Production
Earlier, the Coordinator of the Abuja Interior and Furniture Summit, Faisal Jafar Rafindadi, said the summit was being organised in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Nigerian Institute of Architects, Federal University of Transportation Daura, TETFund, Federal University of Technology Minna, Katsina Talent and Digital Innovation Centre, and Katsina Institute of Management Studies.
Rafindadi said the initiative originated in Katsina State and was conceived under the leadership of former Katsina State Governor and current Chairman of TETFund, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, whom he described as the founding father of the project.
He said the summit had become necessary against the backdrop of Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported furniture.
According to him, Nigerian furniture manufacturers estimated in 2019 that the country spent more than $8 billion annually on furniture imports, largely due to challenges affecting local production, including inadequate machinery, electricity and supporting infrastructure.
Rafindadi said the summit sought to reverse the trend by strengthening local production and encouraging Nigerians to patronise Made-in-Nigeria furniture.
He added that the initiative would provide young Nigerians with opportunities to acquire relevant skills, establish businesses and participate actively in the furniture, interior design and construction value chains.
The coordinator said housing projects being developed under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development could be complemented by quality interior designs and locally manufactured furniture that meet international standards.
“The objective is not only to provide housing but also to ensure that the homes are properly furnished, aesthetically appealing, functional and reflective of Nigeria’s growing capacity in design and manufacturing,” he said.
Rafindadi appreciated the minister for agreeing to host the summit, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to supporting local content, innovation, job creation and sustainable development in the housing sector.
The visit also featured the unveiling of the official logo of the Abuja Interior and Furniture Summit.
(Boardroom)
Furniture
