Stakeholders from Nigeria’s South-East and South-South regions have called for urgent and increased investment in technical and vocational education as a solution to the country’s growing youth unemployment crisis.
This call was made on Thursday at the “South-East and South-South Interregional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum” held in Enugu. Organised by the Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB), Enugu State, the forum brought together educators, policymakers, industry leaders, and technical experts from both regions. The event was supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
Declaring the event open, the Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described technical and vocational education as essential to meeting labour market demands.
“Across the regions, there is growing recognition that traditional academic pathways alone cannot address the employment needs of our expanding youth population,” he said.
He added that the forum was both “critical and timely,” given the high youth unemployment rate, and noted Enugu’s commitment to building technical schools across its three federal constituencies.
In his keynote address, Prof. Obiora Ike, Director of the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), expressed concern over the large number of unemployed graduates lacking market-relevant skills.
“Thousands of students graduate yearly from universities without a clear path to employment due to skill mismatches,” he said, calling for a complete rethink of how young Nigerians are prepared for work.
“We must bridge the gap between education and industry,” he added.
Rachel Schipper, TVET Component Manager for GIZ-SKYE, explained that the project was part of the Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE II) programme funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
“SKYE II supports Nigeria’s sustainable development by promoting job creation, improving TVET quality, and fostering gender equality and decent work,” Schipper said. She stressed the importance of collaboration among states, institutions, and industry to align training with labour market needs.
STVSMB Executive Secretary, Mrs. Amaka Ngene, encouraged participants to engage actively, share best practices, and form partnerships for regional growth. Mr. Ezedi Ezengwa, CEO of Innoson Kiara Academy, advocated for business development centres within institutions to enhance youth employability.
