The Federal Government has reinvigorated its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme to equip Nigerian youth with relevant skills tailored to industry needs, especially in sectors such as construction, transportation, and oil and gas.
This was disclosed by Professor Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), during the June edition of the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) virtual dialogue, themed “Interrogating Nigeria’s New Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)”.
Bugaje said the initiative is designed to drive domestic employment while enabling skilled Nigerians to access international job markets, thus boosting foreign exchange inflows.
Key participants included Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH); Dr Niyi Sunmonu, President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA); and members of EWAN.
EWAN Chairman, Mojeed Alabi, said the initiative had generated significant public interest, with widespread questions regarding its implementation strategy, target audience, and training centre locations. He explained that the forum was organised to allow policymakers to address these concerns directly.
Alabi expressed concern over the increasing number of Nigerian youths turning to informal jobs such as commercial motorcycle (okada) and tricycle (keke NAPEP) operations without acquiring vocational skills, while the country continues to rely on foreign artisans for skilled labour.
Bugaje described the new TVET strategy as a cornerstone of the administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda. He criticised the historical neglect of technical education, noting that Nigeria has only 129 technical colleges compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools—a disparity that leaves less than one percent of secondary institutions focused on technical training.
To address this, the government has commenced a rebranding exercise for its 38 existing technical colleges. Plans are also underway to establish 36 new technical colleges, bringing the total to 74 pilot institutions nationwide.
“As these colleges are revitalised, we expect growing demand from parents seeking technical education for their children. This may also encourage states to convert some conventional secondary schools into technical colleges,” Bugaje stated.
