In Nigeria, it is getting harder to keep building projects moving, not only because of money and planning, but because the people who do the hands-on work are harder to find. Contractors and homeowners are reporting weeks or months of delays as skilled artisans become scarce. Even when workers are available, many are not proficient in newer methods, while the most capable tradespeople are booked out and charging premium rates.
That shortage hits masonry work directly. Bricklayers are among the trades named in the squeeze, alongside tilers, plumbers, painters, electricians, and aluminum fabricators. When crews are not available, blockwork and brickwork schedules slip, follow-on trades get stacked up, and jobsite coordination gets tougher.
For years, Nigeria leaned on experienced artisans from Benin Republic, Togo, and Ghana, who earned a reputation for quality and reliability across construction tasks, including masonry. Blueprint Newspapers points to economics as a major reason that pipeline has thinned. With the naira’s sharp depreciation, earnings converted to CFA francs no longer stretch as far, and many foreign artisans have returned home or moved on to other markets.
The article argues the bigger issue is that Nigeria did not build a strong domestic workforce pipeline, in part because technical careers were treated as second-tier compared with university degrees. To reverse that, it calls for structured two- to three-year apprenticeship programs with nationally recognized certifications, plus regional artisan academies that teach current skills. It also recommends public-private partnerships to help fund training, an Artisan Development Fund to improve access to tools and equipment, and digital platforms that verify credentials, show work history, and build trust through reviews and transparent pricing.
For contractors, the takeaway is clear: treat training and verification as part of production planning. Build relationships with credible training programs, support apprenticeships that lead to certification, and use vetting systems that confirm skills before a crew ever touches a wall.
Read the full, original article from Blueprint Newspapers here.