The Federal Government has intensified efforts to tackle unemployment and drive economic growth through technical and vocational skills development, with over 150,000 Nigerians currently undergoing training across more than 1,600 accredited centres nationwide.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, disclosed this at the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Conference 2026 on Monday in Lagos, where he reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria into a skills-driven economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, the government was repositioning the education sector to produce innovators, entrepreneurs, technicians and job creators capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

He said: ” Nations that invest aggressively in skills development today will dominate the economies of tomorrow. For Nigeria, this is not merely an educational challenge; it is an economic imperative.”

The minister noted that with nearly five million young Nigerians entering the labour market annually, investment in industry-relevant skills had become critical to national development and economic competitiveness.

“Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, education has become a cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Mr. President recognizes that Nigeria’s greatest asset is not its oil, minerals, or natural resources, but its people, particularly its youthful population.

*By 2050, Nigeria’s population is projected to exceed 350 million people, with nearly 70 percent under the age of 30. Every year, approximately five million young Nigerians enter the labour market seeking meaningful employment opportunities. Yet unemployment and underemployment remain significant challenges, driven largely by a mismatch between available skills and labour market demands.

*This demographic reality presents us with two possibilities. It can become a burden, or it can become Nigeria’s greatest economic advantage. The choice depends on how effectively we equip our young people with relevant skills.”

He further explained that through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the Federal Government is strengthening the National Skills Qualification Framework, enhancing quality assurance mechanisms and expanding competency-based training nationwide.

Alausa said over 150,000 trainees were currently receiving skills training in accredited centres across the country, supported by thousands of instructors and quality assurance officers to guarantee standardisation and improve employability outcomes.

The minister further revealed that the next phase of implementation would focus on scaling quality, strengthening private sector participation and deepening labour market linkages.

He added that emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing would shape future employment opportunities, underscoring the need for sustained investment in skills development.

In recognition of his contributions to advancing technical education and skills acquisition in the country, Alausa was honoured with the TVET Champion of the Year Award at the conference.

Also speaking, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described TVET as a strategic tool for employment generation, innovation and national development.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, he stressed the need to equip young Nigerians with practical, digital and entrepreneurial skills required to thrive in a global economy increasingly driven by technology and green growth.

Hamzat highlighted Lagos State’s investments in technical colleges, industry partnerships and hands-on training programmes, while advocating stronger collaboration among government, industry players and development partners to build a robust skills-driven economy.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to making TVET a major driver of employment, social inclusion and green growth.

He said ongoing reforms were focused on strengthening technical colleges, expanding competency-based training and deepening collaboration with industry stakeholders and development partners.

Enitan also commended initiatives such as WorldSkills Nigeria and urged stakeholders to ensure that resolutions reached at the conference translate into tangible actions that would create opportunities for young Nigerians and support national development.

Meanwhile, international development partners reaffirmed their support for Nigeria’s TVET reforms and skills development agenda.

The Consul General of Switzerland, Ms. Conny Cammezind, pledged continued support for youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives, while Germany’s Consul General in Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Krull, lauded the Renewed Hope TVET Initiative and the SKYE II Programme.

Krull stressed the importance of stronger industry participation and demand-driven skills development to ensure graduates possess competencies required by employers.

Similarly, Chair of the TVET Donor and Development Partners Working Group, Dr. Karen Jansen, described the conference as a strategic platform for promoting employability, inclusion and green growth through improved policy coordination and the integration of digital and green skills into training programmes.

The three-day conference, themed “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building a System for Employability, Inclusion and Green Growth in Nigeria,” brought together policymakers, industry leaders and development partners to chart a pathway for strengthening Nigeria’s skills ecosystem and accelerating economic transformation.