The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has renewed calls for greater investment in technical and vocational education, arguing that Nigeria cannot effectively tackle youth unemployment without producing graduates equipped with practical and entrepreneurial skills.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the board, Dr. Muhammed Aminu Muhammed, made the call while inspecting the ongoing 2026 May/June NABTEB examinations at the Federal Technical College, Awka, Anambra State.
Muhammed said the country’s growing unemployment challenge requires a shift in emphasis from certificate acquisition to skills development, stressing that technical education remains critical to building a productive workforce and expanding entrepreneurship.
According to him, graduates with vocational and technical competencies are better positioned to establish businesses, create jobs and contribute to national economic development.
“Nigeria’s future lies in developing young people with practical skills that make them employers of labour rather than job seekers,” he said.
The NABTEB boss disclosed that over 167,000 candidates are participating in this year’s examinations nationwide, while 226 candidates sat for the examinations at the Federal Technical College, Awka.
During the monitoring exercise, he inspected the conduct of the Physics practical examination, interacted with examination officials and assessed compliance with the board’s operational guidelines.
Muhammed described the Awka centre as one of the most organised centres visited so far, commending the management of the college for maintaining orderly practical sessions and ensuring smooth coordination despite the number of candidates.
He also observed that the 2026 examination had witnessed significant improvements compared to previous editions, attributing the progress to stronger supervision by school authorities, better coordination among NABTEB officials and improved security arrangements.
Beyond the examinations, Muhammed said the board remains committed to promoting competency-based education capable of producing graduates with marketable skills needed by industry.
He maintained that strengthening technical and vocational education would play a vital role in reducing unemployment, encouraging innovation and supporting Nigeria’s long-term economic growth.
