The Federal Government has launched a major initiative to tackle youth unemployment by repositioning technical education as a key driver of economic growth.
Under the new plan, students enrolled in technical colleges nationwide will receive a monthly grant of N45,000, alongside full coverage of tuition fees and support for industry-based training. Backed by a N120 billion funding commitment, the programme is set to revitalize Nigeria’s long-neglected Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, shared details during an interview in Abuja as he assessed the second year of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He emphasized that the stipend is a non-repayable grant designed to make technical education more appealing and accessible to young Nigerians.
“We want young people to see technical colleges as a viable alternative to conventional university degrees—where they can acquire practical skills and secure meaningful employment both locally and internationally,” Bugaje said.
In addition to the monthly stipend, the Federal Government will cover students’ tuition fees, pay industry-based supervisors—known as “master class” instructors—during internship placements, and finance the cost of skill certification.
Prof. Bugaje noted that Nigeria’s technical education system, once vibrant during the colonial and early post-independence periods, has suffered prolonged neglect since the 1980s. He highlighted the disparity in school distribution, pointing out that there are just over 100 technical colleges compared to more than 15,000 secondary schools nationwide.
“This is more than just a reform—it is a revival of technical and vocational education,” he said.
The N120 billion grant will be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Bugaje explained that the programme aims to boost skills acquisition and reduce the number of young Nigerians excluded from the labour market due to lack of practical training.
To ensure the initiative’s sustainability, the Federal Ministry of Education is advancing a bill to establish a National Skills Fund under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). Bugaje revealed that the bill is expected to be presented to the National Assembly soon.
“This idea has been in the pipeline for years, but the present administration is taking concrete steps. The National Skills Fund will support TVET institutions not only in the public sector but also in the private space,” he said.
The government has also revised the TVET curriculum to emphasize hands-on training, allocating 80 percent of classroom time to practical work and 20 percent to theoretical instruction.
With this renewed focus, the Federal Government aims to equip Nigerian youths with industry-relevant skills and create a more productive, self-reliant workforce capable of driving the country’s economic development.
