Nearly 250,000 Nigerians have enrolled in the Federal Government’s technical and vocational training programme, with the government identifying 28 market-relevant trades as part of efforts to bridge skills gaps and improve employment opportunities.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa who made the disclosure during a panel session on “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, noted that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative operates through more than 1,200 accredited training centres and production hubs nationwide, with emphasis on practical skills required by employers and businesses.
The 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), is being held under the theme, “Growth That Works”, bringing together public and private sector leaders to discuss strategies for improving Nigeria’s economic performance, productivity and shared prosperity.
Alausa said the government had streamlined the programme’s training areas from 82 to 28 following a labour market and skills gap analysis, to ensure that participants acquire competencies relevant to the demands of the economy.
Under the programme, about 80 per cent of training is devoted to practical learning, while the remaining 20 per cent covers theoretical instruction.
Eligible trainees receive a monthly stipend of N30,000, while participating training centres receive N50,000 per learner monthly to support training delivery.
The minister also disclosed that the latest application portal attracted approximately 1.4 million applications within two weeks, highlighting the demand for vocational training opportunities among Nigerians.
He said the government was determined to move technical education beyond certificates to practical competence, employability and enterprise development.
Alausa said the broader reform agenda included curriculum modernisation, stronger partnerships with employers and the introduction of entrepreneurship programmes to prepare students for self-employment and business creation.
The revised national curriculum, which took effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, incorporates Digital Technologies and trade subjects to strengthen students’ digital literacy and practical skills, while reducing the number of subjects at senior secondary level.
He added that the Ministry of Education was promoting the use of artificial intelligence to assist teachers with lesson planning and assessment, while ensuring that its application did not undermine children’s cognitive development at the primary school level.
On access to higher education, the minister said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed N372.62 billion to students and participating institutions as of September 29, 2026.
He said the ministry was also working with the National Universities Commission and other stakeholders to encourage the development of courses that reflect changing industry needs and labour market demands.
Beyond vocational and academic training, Alausa said the government was piloting an Entrepreneurial Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme in 14 universities, with plans to extend it to universities from the next academic session.
He called for stronger collaboration between government, educational institutions and the private sector, stressing that employers should participate in setting occupational standards, developing curricula, assessing practical competencies and providing workplace training.
The minister said the effectiveness of education reforms should be determined by their impact on employment, business creation, earnings and national productivity rather than enrolment and graduation figures alone.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to an education system that prepares Nigerian youths for a technology-driven economy and the changing demands of the global labour market.