The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, has said Nigeria’s efforts to reduce poverty must begin with sustained investment in human capital development.

Doro warned that millions of citizens cannot escape deprivation without the skills and capabilities required to improve their productivity.

Doro, who stated this on Thursday while declaring open the 2026 Annual National Conference of the Chartered Institute of Human Capital Development of Nigeria in Abuja, said human capital development was central to the Federal Government’s poverty reduction agenda.

He cited Nigeria’s 63 per cent multidimensional poverty rate, based on 2022 data, and stressed the need to equip citizens with the skills required to improve their livelihoods and contribute to national economic growth.

“The importance of human capital development cannot be overemphasised. I am in charge of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and central to poverty reduction is human capital development.

“I emphasise that for us as a country to reduce poverty, and by the way, currently we’re using the 2022 data that tells us that Nigeria has 63 per cent of multidimensional poverty, and so to try and get those numbers down, the place of human capital development cannot again, as I said earlier, be overemphasised,” he said.

The minister said investments in people would provide the foundation for higher productivity and prosperity, adding that the country needed to develop citizens’ capabilities from early childhood rather than waiting until they entered school or the labour market.

“When you build human capital, you provide people with skills needed, and that leads to productivity, and from productivity, you have prosperity of individuals and that of the nation, and so what you’re doing becomes very important,” Doro said.

He particularly highlighted the first six years of a child’s life, describing early childhood development as critical to preparing individuals for productive lives.

“Human capital development does not start when people have already grown, you know. In fact, you start from age zero to six.

“From zero to six years are the most important years of an individual. The early child development is key, because that is what developed the mind and get people ready for productive life in the future, or their future,” he said.

The conference, themed “Accelerating Nigeria’s People, Productivity and Prosperity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, examined how the country could strengthen its workforce and prepare citizens for changes driven by emerging technologies.

Speaking during the business session, Victor Dickson said Nigeria needed to rethink human capital development as its population continued to grow and artificial intelligence changed the nature of work.

He warned that without deliberate investments in people, the country’s expanding population could place increasing pressure on public institutions and the economy.

“Now, for us to discuss this mouthful topic, one of the most important things we may need to do is to deconstruct the topic and look for the important lines there, important terms so that it will guide us on this discussion,” Dickson said.

He added, “As of now we are dealing with about 233 million people, but you know in the coming years, in a decade or so, we’ll start playing around 350 to 400 million people in America. So the question is, the burden of population is going to be extremely high. So if you don’t build people, then the system may collapse on us.”

Dickson argued that human capital should be measured by people’s ability to create economic and social value, rather than simply by the size of the workforce or the amount spent on salaries.

He described a productive individual as someone equipped with intelligence, competence and compassion, which he characterised as the “head, the heart and the hands”.

He said healthcare, family upbringing and education must work together to develop these qualities, starting from birth.

“The mistake we make is thinking we start from school. You don’t start from school. You start from birth,” he said.

Dickson also called for education curricula to be linked to Nigeria’s long-term national development priorities, warning against training students without a clear understanding of the skills and industries the country intends to develop.

He advocated stronger history education, arguing that knowledge of Nigeria’s past could promote national identity, help citizens understand the country’s development and prevent the repetition of past mistakes.

On artificial intelligence, he said education and skills programmes must prepare workers for a labour market in which technology could change job requirements and automate some tasks.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Council of the institute, Cyril Ogboli, said the conference also marked the unveiling of the Human Capital Development Policy Advisory and Implementation Framework for Nigeria 2051–2076, known as “The Continuity Horizon”.

Ogboli said the framework was designed to encourage long-term development planning, policy continuity and strategic investment in Nigerians across successive generations.

“Our theme, ‘Accelerating Nigeria’s People, Productivity, and Prosperity in the Age of AI,’ highlights the urgent need to invest in our people while embracing technological advancement. Artificial Intelligence presents opportunities to improve productivity, strengthen institutions, and stimulate economic growth,” he said.

He urged governments, the private sector, academia and development partners to collaborate in translating human capital development priorities into measurable outcomes.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people. By investing in their capabilities, embracing innovation, and sustaining sound development policies, we can build a more productive, competitive, and prosperous nation,” Ogboli added.

The conference’s emphasis on early childhood development, healthcare, education and workforce skills comes amid concerns over poverty, unemployment and the need to prepare Nigerians for a rapidly changing economy.

Multidimensional poverty measures deprivation beyond income, including access to education, healthcare, housing, sanitation and other basic services.

Addressing these challenges requires not only social assistance but also sustained investment in the capabilities that enable individuals and households to improve their living conditions.

Speakers at the conference agreed that Nigeria’s ability to turn its growing population into an economic advantage would depend on developing healthy, skilled and adaptable citizens while ensuring that education and training respond to the country’s long-term development needs.