By Aderonke Ojo
The 2025 edition of the STEM Construction Summer Camp (SCSC), an initiative of the Kaiser Foundation for Social Development (KFSD) in partnership with GIZ, aimed at encouraging young Nigerians to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) over 90 secondary school students have benefitted.
Speaking during the Abuja third phase of the programme at North central region, Omotara Akinremi, programme consultant for KFSD and CSR lead at Construction Kaiser Limited and Hermann E. Kaiser Limited, explained that the camp was designed to reawaken interest in STEM among students while equipping them with technical and soft skills.
“For four days, we have exposed students to the value of STEM through hands-on activities, career talks, and site visits.
“Many young people are no longer pursuing STEM-related careers, so we created this initiative to bridge the gap. Beyond STEM, we also taught integrity, communication, and teamwork, while industry experts shared knowledge on masonry, carpentry, and civil engineering,” Akinremi said.
She added that participants also visited a construction site in Asokoro, Abuja, where they had first-hand experience of how building projects are executed. According to her, the camp has achieved its objectives, with students gaining new knowledge and confidence about STEM.
This year’s programme, held in Jos and Abuja, trained 95 students in total — 30 in each of the first two camps and 35 in the Abuja edition.
KFSD and GIZ plan to sustain the initiative by establishing STEM clubs in schools, with private sector mentors providing continuous guidance and support.
Akinremi further revealed that KFSD maintains a database of past participants, follows up with them through their university years, and even offers scholarships to high-performing students. She cited an alumnus who is now a lawyer and recently shared on LinkedIn how the camp had shaped her career journey.
Fifteen-year-old Etefia Esther Godwin from Government Science and Technical College, Garki, described the camp as “exciting and inspiring.” She said:
“The programme taught me how to pursue my dreams and not be afraid of challenges. We also learned practical skills, met new friends, and even visited real construction sites. I want to thank KFSD and GIZ for organising this programme because it has truly inspired us.”
Now in its third phase, the SCSC continues to demonstrate how industry, development partners, and schools can work together to raise the next generation of innovators, builders, and problem-solvers for Nigeria’s future.