In a bold stride toward reviving Nigeria’s technical education sector, Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has unveiled plans to launch a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative designed to benefit one million Nigerians. At a virtual forum hosted by the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN), Bugaje shared that the programme has already attracted 1.5 million applications, signalling immense interest in skills-based training.
Table of Contents
A Strategic Roll‑Out Through TVET
Bugaje outlined a phased approach:
- Master‑class programmes—Master 6 and Master 12—are set to begin in July 2025, offering six‑month and twelve‑month skill courses.
- Meanwhile, the technical college strand will begin admitting students in September 2025, with rebranded federal and state technical colleges forming the backbone of the pilot.
Funding Framework: N100 Billion Pilot Fund and Industry Partnerships
To kickstart the initiative, ₦100 billion from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has been allocated for nationwide deployment. According to Bugaje, graduates will be supported post-training via collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BOI), which is poised to finance approved business proposals emerging from the programme.
Addressing a Structural Imbalance in Nigeria’s Education Sector
Highlighting the disproportionate underrepresentation of technical colleges—129 in total compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools—Bugaje emphasised the need to restore technical vocation as a viable option for youth across the country. The program aims to reverse decades of de-prioritisation since the 1980s.
In his own words: “Technical colleges are meant to feed polytechnics… in the ’60s and early ’70s, they were feeders. This programme aims to recreate that pyramid through deliberate revitalisation.”
Rebranding Federal Technical Colleges
Bugaje explained that the 38 existing Federal Science and Technical Colleges—where science students made up 90% of enrolment—will now exclusively admit students pursuing technical trades. The curriculum will be delivered under the new TVET framework tiers—TVET 1, 2, and 3, aligned with Nigerian senior-school equivalent grades SS 1–SS 3
A National Pilot of 74 Institutions
A total of 74 technical colleges—constituting more than half of the existing 129—have been selected as pilot schools. This includes federal institutions and one technical college per Nigerian state, making up an initial cohort for assessing scale and impact.
What It Offers Trainees
While the Guardian article is concise, earlier reports reveal the full support package:
- Free tuition, accommodation, and feeding for students in participating federal and state technical colleges.
- Monthly stipends: varying between ₦22,500 and ₦45,000 depending on the programme and cohort.
- Payment of industrial attachment allowances to master artisans supervising onsite training.
- Financing for skills certification fees via assessments conducted by third-party professional bodies.
Why It Matters: Bridging Skills Gaps, Tackling Youth Unemployment
Bugaje and education experts argue that Nigeria’s economy desperately needs to reinvest in skills-focused education to meet industrial and infrastructural demands. With youth unemployment and underemployment persistently high, the initiative is presented as a strategic transformation tool.
Bugaje decried the current education system’s emphasis on theoretical degrees over hands-on competence, pointing out that Nigeria produces more engineers than technicians—a structural imbalance that undermines actual productivity.
Digital and Administrative Safeguards
Although not detailed in the original Guardian piece, related coverage of the broader TVET programme suggests digital verification systems such as biometric attendance, geofencing, and NIN-linked identity checks are being employed to ensure accountability, streamline stipend payments (via NELFUND), and improve monitoring across training centres and apprenticeships.
From Vision to Reality: Challenges and Next Steps
Despite strong enthusiasm and a clear strategic roadmap, certain structural and operational challenges remain:
- Capacity building: Existing infrastructure and staffing across technical colleges and skills centres must be upgraded to avoid overburden.
- Programme sustainability: Proposals like a National Skills Fund and the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) are being drafted into legislation to institutionalise long-term funding and quality standards.
- Parental and state buy‑in: Bugaje hopes that as pilot institutions prove effective, demand will rise and states may convert more secondary schools into technical colleges.
Stakeholders’ Reactions
The initiative has drawn widespread praise:
- Educator representatives laud its ability to rebalance the education pyramid, with much-needed emphasis on artisanal and practical skill development.
- Industry groups anticipate a future workforce better aligned with Nigeria’s infrastructural and service needs.
- Observers note that similar global economies—China, Germany, South Korea—built progress through skills-led growth, offering Nigeria a tested model to emulate.
Key Highlights & Benefits
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Beneficiaries | One million trainees in Master programmes and technical colleges |
| Pilot Institutions | 74 technical colleges across 36 states + FCT |
| Funding | ₦100 billion from TETFund; BOI loans for post-training entrepreneurship |
| Training Tracks | Master 6 (6 months), Master 12 (1 year), TVET 1–3 (technical college grades) |
| Support Package | Free tuition, accommodation, feeding, stipends, industrial allowances |
| Certification | Skills accreditation via third-party bodies |
| Accountability Tools | NIN verification, biometric check-ins, geofencing, digital administration |
Conclusion
With 1.5 million applications already received and robust funding earmarked, the TVET Initiative to Train One Million Nigerians is positioned to transform the country’s education and workforce development ecosystem. Spearheaded by Prof. Bugaje, backed by both government and industry, and structured with long-term sustainability frameworks, the programme is more than an intervention—it’s a statement of intent.
By prioritising competence over certificates, Nigeria is paving the way for a generation of technically skilled artisans, technologists, and craftsmen ready to power both domestic growth and international opportunities.
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