Funmi Ogundare

The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, has described the federal government’s renewed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative as a strategic effort to equip Nigerian youths with skills aligned with industry needs, particularly in sectors like construction, transportation, and oil and gas.
Speaking at the June edition of the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) virtual dialogue, themed, ‘Interrogating Nigeria’s New Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)’, Bugaje explained that the initiative aims not only to address domestic job creation, but also to enable skilled Nigerians to secure employment abroad, ultimately contributing to foreign exchange earnings for the country.

Participants at the session included notable stakeholders such as Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH); Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA); and members of EWAN.
In his remarks, EWAN Chairman, Mojeed Alabi, noted the surge of public interest and inquiries regarding the renewed TVET initiative, including its structure, target beneficiaries, implementation strategies, and training centre locations.
He said that EWAN’s decision to host the dialogue was to create a platform where policymakers and stakeholders could address these critical concerns.
“It is troubling that many Nigerian youths are turning to riding motorcycles (okada) and tricycles (Keke NAPEP) without acquiring any vocational skills, while the country increasingly relies on artisans from neighboring nations for construction and other skilled labour,” Alabi said.
Explaining the initiative, Bugaje described the revamped TVET programme as a central pillar of the current administration’s education policy under the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda. He expressed concern about the historically low prioritisation of technical education in Nigeria, pointing out that there are only 129 technical colleges across federal, state and private ownership compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools. This means that less than one per cent of secondary-level institutions are focused on technical education.
“To address this imbalance, the federal government has begun a rebranding process of its 38 existing technical colleges. Formerly known as Federal Science and Technical Colleges, where science students made up 90 per cent of enrollment, these institutions will now admit only students pursuing technical trades,” he stated.
The executive secretary stated that the colleges will focus solely on vocational training programmes assessed by the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
According to Bugaje, the restructured curriculum will operate under a new TVET framework: TVET 1, TVET 2 and TVET 3 – equivalent to SS1, SS2, and SS3 in conventional secondary education. Students enrolled in these programmes will receive free tuition, accommodation, feeding, and monthly stipends. Additionally, the government will cover costs for students’ industrial attachments, recognising that practical skills must be honed in real-world environments rather than only in classroom workshops.
As part of the broader expansion plan, he said that the federal government aims to establish 36 new technical colleges, bringing the total to 74 pilot institutions nationwide.
“Our expectation is that as these colleges are revitalised, demand will grow, parents will increasingly seek technical education for their children, and states may begin converting some conventional secondary schools into technical colleges,” Bugaje said.