The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, has pledged his ministry’s commitment to addressing unemployment in Nigeria while admitting that he is currently unable to provide accurate statistics on the matter.
Speaking on Monday before the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, chaired by Senator Diket Plang (APC-Plateau), Dingyadi explained that he had been in office for only three months but was working tirelessly to combat unemployment.
When questioned about the unemployment figures in Nigeria, Dingyadi expressed caution in providing estimates, noting that it would be premature to share unverified data.
“We have the statistics, but I didn’t come with them today. Our agencies and parastatals are actively working on this issue, and we’ll coordinate the data and present it to the committee soon.”
The minister assured the Senate panel of his ministry's readiness to deliver accurate statistics and to make them public if necessary. “We are committed to transparency. Once we compile and verify the figures, we will share them with you and the public.”
Dingyadi also emphasized that no effort was being spared in tackling unemployment, adding that his ministry had ongoing initiatives aimed at creating jobs and fostering decent work opportunities.
Senator Plang commended President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to improving the welfare of Nigerian workers and acknowledged the ministry's proactive approach to addressing employment challenges.
The session underscored the government’s focus on job creation and the need for reliable data to inform policy decisions.