By Adeola Kunle
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), with nearly 250,000 Nigerians currently acquiring practical skills at more than 1,200 accredited training centres across the country.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, disclosed this during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, chaired by Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the programme’s implementation, achievements, funding arrangements, enrolment figures and accountability measures.
Dr Alausa revealed that the latest TVET application portal received nearly 1.4 million applications within two weeks, exceeding the 1.3 million applications recorded during the first cohort in just ten days. He said the increasing number of applications demonstrated growing interest among Nigerians in technical and vocational education as a route to employment, self-reliance, entrepreneurship and economic growth.
The Minister praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising the education sector, noting that the administration had renewed national focus on technical and vocational training as a strategic investment in human capital development and sustainable economic progress.
According to him, the Federal Government is rebuilding the TVET ecosystem to provide young Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant competencies that can prepare them for employment, business ownership and participation in an increasingly skills-oriented global economy.
Transparent Admission and Accountability Measures
Addressing concerns about access to the programme, Dr Alausa explained that the application and selection process was designed to be transparent, accessible and merit-based. Eligible candidates are required to apply through a centralised online portal and submit relevant details, including their National Identification Number (NIN) and biometric information, to facilitate verification.
He added that the distribution of available training opportunities considered geographical representation across states and local government areas, particularly because the number of available places remained limited compared with the volume of applications received.
On the programme’s financial arrangements, the Minister stated that each trainee receives a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while accredited training centres are paid ₦50,000 per student monthly to support the delivery of training.
He explained that biometric attendance monitoring had been introduced to strengthen transparency and ensure that government funds were disbursed in line with verified participation. Initial payment delays, he noted, resulted from the introduction of the verification system, as the Ministry opted for reliable attendance records rather than relying solely on manual documentation.
Dr Alausa confirmed that the challenges had been addressed and that payments to trainees and training centres were up to date as of September 2026.
He further disclosed that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) was responsible for assessing and verifying the capacity of centres seeking accreditation. Only institutions that satisfied the established requirements were approved, a measure intended to protect training standards, maintain quality and expand access through qualified private-sector providers.
Starter Packs to Support Self-Employment
The Minister emphasised that the TVET initiative was designed to deliver practical economic benefits beyond classroom instruction. He explained that beneficiaries would receive starter packs and relevant equipment after completing their training to help them put their newly acquired skills to productive use.
Using tailoring and electrical installation as examples, he said graduates would be provided with the necessary tools to begin offering services within their communities.
This approach, he explained, would enable beneficiaries to establish small businesses, earn sustainable incomes, become self-reliant and contribute to economic activities in their localities.
Digital Technology Academy Trains 36,000 Nigerians
Beyond traditional vocational trades, Dr Alausa announced that the Federal Government was supporting a Digital Technology Academy currently training 36,000 Nigerians in specialised areas of technology.
The training covers software development, cybersecurity, natural language processing, information technology automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing.
He said participants were benefiting from access to international learning platforms and professional certification opportunities associated with Coursera, Google and IBM.
According to the Minister, the initiative is intended to equip young Nigerians with internationally relevant digital skills, positioning them to participate in the expanding digital economy and provide technology services to clients both within Nigeria and overseas.
He added that the Ministry was also working to improve training facilities, strengthen instructors’ capacity and provide modern equipment. In addition, a dedicated TVET job portal was being introduced to link graduates with prospective employers and improve the transition from skills acquisition to gainful employment.
Free Technical Education to Expand Access
Dr Alausa disclosed that education in federal technical colleges, alongside one designated state technical college in each state, was free, with the Federal Government covering the associated training costs.
He said the policy was designed to reduce financial obstacles that prevent young people from accessing technical and vocational education and to ensure that more Nigerians could benefit from practical skills development.
Providing an overview of the programme’s geographical reach, the Minister presented enrolment figures from selected states.
Bauchi State had 4,888 trainees enrolled across 50 accredited centres, including 520 trainees in Katagum. Akwa Ibom State recorded 5,885 trainees across 57 accredited centres, while Kogi State had 5,144 trainees receiving training in 42 centres.
In Katsina State, approximately 1,800 trainees were undergoing skills development in eight newly established technical centres that had been incorporated into the programme.
These figures, he said, reflected the programme’s growing presence across different parts of the country and the Federal Government’s determination to make practical training more accessible to Nigerians.
Investment in Infrastructure and Instructor Development
The Minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to rehabilitate and develop technical education infrastructure, including facilities in the Federal Capital Territory, while improving the professional capacity of instructors through specialised training.
He disclosed that some lecturers were participating in a train-the-trainer programme in Lagos, working with experts from the Singapore Institute of Technical Education.
The initiative is intended to strengthen instructional methods, improve the quality of teaching and ensure that technical education providers can deliver training that meets contemporary industry requirements.
Dr Alausa acknowledged the importance of maintaining more regular communication with members of the National Assembly. He explained that sustained engagement would enable lawmakers to gain a clearer understanding of the programme’s progress and communicate its benefits more effectively to their constituents.
He assured the House Committee that the Ministry would provide detailed statistics covering trainee enrolment, accredited training centres and ongoing training activities across states and local government areas.
The Minister also encouraged lawmakers to visit accredited centres within their constituencies to assess the programme’s implementation firsthand and interact with trainees and training providers.
TVET Designed as a Long-Term Development Strategy
Dr Alausa stressed that the programme should be viewed as a sustainable human capital development strategy rather than a temporary social intervention.
He said the Federal Government’s objective was to equip beneficiaries with practical competencies, appropriate tools and opportunities to pursue employment or establish businesses, thereby strengthening individual livelihoods and supporting national economic development.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, Hon. Fuad Kayode Laguda, described the engagement as productive and purposeful.
He noted that the meeting provided a valuable platform for constructive discussions on developments within the education sector and the progress being made in technical and vocational education.
Hon. Laguda reaffirmed the Committee’s readiness to strengthen its partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, improve legislative understanding of the programme and sustain effective oversight to enhance performance across the sector.
He expressed optimism that continued cooperation between the Committee and the Ministry would produce meaningful results during the remaining period of the 10th National Assembly.
In conclusion, Dr Alausa urged lawmakers to support the initiative by creating greater public awareness, engaging their constituents and visiting accredited training centres to monitor activities and outcomes.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to widen access to quality technical and vocational education, strengthen accountability and empower Nigerian youths with practical, industry-relevant and globally competitive skills that can advance employment, entrepreneurship and national development.
Adeola Kunle
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