The Federal Government has enrolled nearly 250,000 Nigerians in its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, with training taking place across more than 1,200 centres nationwide....
The Federal Government has enrolled nearly 250,000 Nigerians in its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, with training taking place across more than 1,200 centres nationwide.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, stressing that Nigeria’s future workforce must be built on market-relevant skills rather than certificates alone.
Speaking during a panel session titled “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce”, Alausa said the government was reforming technical education, modernising curricula and strengthening industry partnerships to bridge skills gaps and improve employability.
He said the TVET programme was designed to align vocational training with employers’ needs and emerging economic opportunities.
Following a labour market and skills-gap analysis, the government reduced the programme’s training areas from 82 to 28 market-relevant trades.
According to the minister, about 80 per cent of the training focuses on practical learning, while the remaining 20 per cent covers theory.
Eligible trainees receive a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while participating training centres receive ₦50,000 per learner monthly to support training delivery.
Alausa said tuition at federal technical colleges was free, adding that the initiative would help young Nigerians acquire skills for employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship.
He disclosed that the programme attracted approximately 1.4 million applications within two weeks of the latest application portal opening, reflecting strong demand for vocational training.
Curriculum Reform, Student Loans
The minister also highlighted the revised national curriculum, which took effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, as part of efforts to make education more responsive to economic needs.
The reform reduces the number of subjects at senior secondary school level and introduces Digital Technologies and trade subjects to improve digital literacy and practical competence.
On the use of artificial intelligence in education, Alausa said the ministry was promoting its application in lesson planning and assessment while ensuring that it did not undermine children’s cognitive development at primary school level.
He also disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed ₦372.62 billion to students and participating institutions as of September 29, 2026, to improve access to tertiary education.
The ministry, he added, was working with the National Universities Commission and other stakeholders to encourage the development of courses that reflect changing labour market demands.
Universities To Expand Entrepreneurship Training
Alausa said the government was also promoting entrepreneurship education to equip students with the skills to establish businesses and create jobs.
He disclosed that the Entrepreneurial Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme was being piloted in 14 universities, with plans to expand it to more universities from the next academic session.
The minister urged employers and industry stakeholders to work more closely with educational institutions in setting occupational standards, developing curricula, assessing practical skills and providing workplace training.
He said the effectiveness of education reforms should be measured not only by enrolment and graduation figures but also by employment outcomes, viable businesses, improved earnings and increased national productivity.
The 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group under the theme “Growth That Works”, brings together public and private sector leaders to discuss strategies for improving economic performance and shared prosperity.
Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to an education system that connects learning with economic needs and prepares Nigerian youths for an increasingly technology-driven global labour market.