In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON the Minister of Education has identified six strategic pillars to guide systemic reform: promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM) education; reducing the number of out-of-school children; advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); championing girl-child education; embracing data and digitalisation; and strengthening quality assurance mechanisms.
A notable milestone is the unveiling of the 2024–2027 education roadmap, which outlines ambitious targets, including the reintegration of 15 million out-of-school children into classrooms. This initiative has led to the establishment of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children and the approval of new policies on Early Child Care Development in Education (ECCDE).
Equally significant is the renewed emphasis on skills acquisition through TVET. The Ministry continues to prioritise equipping young Nigerians with practical, market-relevant skills to meet both local and global labour demands. And the Ministry of Education’s ambitious TVET Scheme forms the core of this exclusive and vibrant interview which EduTimes Africa was thrilled to conduct with Dr. Alausa. We are indeed grateful to the Honourable Minister for carving out time from his unimaginably busy schedule to meet with us and provide valuable insights about his ministry’s TVET agenda.
Sir, what’s the eligibility criteria for each of the three tracks (Master 6, Master 12, Technical College Track)?
The Federal Government of Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative is focused on skilling Nigerians and getting them to work.
The initiative has three tracts Short-Term Certificate (STC) – This is a 6 months programme and the only requirements are a valid National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).
Vocational Education & Innovation (VEI) – This is a 12 months programme and the only requirements are Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – proof of skills acquired informally or through apprenticeship OR First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) OR Any form of non-formal education certificate (e.g training from NGOs, religious institutions, nomadic education or community programmes).
Technical Colleges – Nigerian technical colleges vary depending on the level of entry, but generally include at least a Junior Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent for entry into a vocational/technical college, or a Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) with credit passes in five subjects including English and Mathematics for tertiary-level programmes. Specific technical colleges and programmes have different entry requirements, so it is essential to check the specific institution’s criteria for the desired course.
Will there be any screening or selection process, or is it open enrolment for all NIN holders?
The TVET programme includes a verification process which includes National Identity Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).
Students are then mapped based on their applications and locations to the nearest centres to their location.
Which industries or sectors are the 25 high-demand skill areas drawn from?
To ensure the Federal Government is focused on improving the level of skills in the country, the 25 skills selected are based on detailed research with the skills councils, employers of labour and the trajectory of the future of work based on research and surveys done alongside our developmental partners such as the World Bank.
How will practical sessions be conducted—through existing institutions, private sector partnerships, or mobile training units?
The goal of TVET is to improve the skills of Nigerians and create new opportunities for them to improve their earning potential. While a lot of the conversation is around the trainees, the programme is also focused on stimulating all sectors of the economy. The training will be conducted by a combination of Federal Government institutions across several ministries and the private sector run centres.
These centres, by partnering with the Federal Ministry of Education will get a steady stream of students to train, income from the fees paid by the Federal Ministry of Education for the students, accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), enabling them to be global standard and create further opportunities for them with other skills sectorial partners. The TVET programme is truly designed to stimulate all sectors of the economy.
Sir, what is the timeline for full rollout (e.g., pilot phase, nationwide expansion)?
The programme has kicked off and this is across the country. The Federal Ministry of Education has designed the programme as an on-going revolving programme where centres with over 50% of their allocated capacity can commence training. The standardization of the curriculum and the examination and certification process means there are clear milestones every school and trainee must meet.
How many applicants have registered or shown interest since the programme was announced?
The application portal has seen over 1.2 million Nigerians demonstrate interest in the TVET scheme and this is very close to our expectations.Young Nigerians want the opportunity to work and the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is focused on creating these opportunities. The president is a big advocate for education and skilling young Nigerians and it is important to note that TVET is a viable and important segment for any country seeking to grow and be competitive in the future.
Could we get a breakdown by state, gender, and age group (if available)?
Yes, we will provide this shortly but we can say all states are properly represented and about 36% of our applicants are female.
The North-west has the highest number of applicants while the South-East has the least number of applicants.
What is the projected enrollment for 2025 (pilot year)?
The programme enrollment took place in Q2 of 2025 and we have spent the rest of the time accrediting centres, finalising the curriculum, skills framework, training assessors and mapping students to the most appropriate centres based on their applications.
Classes kicked off officially last month and we expect that our first set of graduates will be ready for work in Q1 2026.
Are there private sector or donor partners co-funding the programme (e.g., World Bank, UNESCO, AFDB, or local industries)?
Currently this is exclusively funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria via the Federal Ministry of Education, however we have had developmental partners such as the World Bank who have been running their own programmes.
What we have been able to do is to get such programmes aligned with the Federal Government initiative which helps give it scale and raise the standard to international standards.
Funding from the likes of the World Bank has also been used to upgrade some Federal and State Colleges to ensure we have more centres of excellence as well as to support accreditation of centres across the country.
Honourable Minister, how sustainable is the TVET funding?
The government has made TVET funding a national priority.
To ensure long-term sustainability, 5% of TETFund’s annual budget is now dedicated to TVET. This means a steady, ring-fenced funding stream for technical and vocational training going forward.f
In fact, the programme’s sustainability is built into our planning – annual incremental funding for TVET has already been approved as part of the education budget . We are also exploring partnerships and other innovative funding streams to support the programme over the coming years. With these measures, the TVET scheme isn’t a one-off project but a continuing investment in our youth that the government is committed to maintaining and expanding.
What mechanisms are in place to ensure transparency and accountability in fund disbursement?
We have put robust measures in place from day one. First, every applicant had to undergo verification with their National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) during registration – over 960,000 applicants were verified this way to ensure only genuine, eligible students are enrolled.
Each student then gets access to a personal online dashboard on the TVET portal. Through this dashboard, they can monitor all payments made to them and see their attendance record. (Notably, trainees must maintain at least 65% attendance to remain eligible for the monthly stipends, tying funding to actual participation.) We’re also developing a public-facing dashboard that shows aggregate information – for example, how many trainees have been placed in each training centre and the total stipends disbursed – so that stakeholders and the public can track the programme’s reach and funds flow. Additionally, payments are made directly to the intended recipients: training centres are paid their training fees directly and students receive stipends in their own bank accounts, rather than funds passing through middlemen. This direct-to-beneficiary approach eliminates ghost enrollees and prevents fraud. We have been very transparent about how much each person should receive and the clear guidelines for unlocking each payment (such as the attendance requirement). Together, these mechanisms build trust and accountability into the disbursement process.
Will the N22,500 monthly stipend and starter packs be managed directly by the Ministry or through implementing partners?
We are using a hybrid approach to ensure efficiency. The Federal Ministry of Education is partnering with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to handle the disbursement of the N22,500 monthly stipends to trainees, as well as the N45,000/trainee training fees to the centres.
NELFUND has the systems and experience to manage large-scale education payments, so working with them helps us get the stipends out swiftly and transparently.
Under this arrangement, each participant’s stipend (N22,500 per month – broken into N17,500 for upkeep and N5,000 for transportation) is paid directly to their bank account, and each training provider (school or company) receives N45,000 per trainee per month to cover the training delivery costs. On the other hand, the start-up support, for example, the toolkits or starter packs that trainees are to receive– will be managed centrally by the Ministry. We will procure and distribute these starter packs to each centre directly from the Ministry. In summary, stipends and training payments flow through our implementing partner (with Ministry oversight), while the starter packs (startup kits) are handled directly by the Ministry to ensure every graduating trainee gets the resources to begin a small enterprise. This combination of partner support and direct ministry management allows for both efficiency and control.
How will feedback from trainees and instructors be collected and integrated into programme improvements?
We recognize that on-the-ground feedback is invaluable for the success of the TVET initiative. To gather and act on this feedback, we have established a multi-channel support and feedback system. Firstly, there is a dedicated support desk (including helpline and email support) at the Ministry for the TVET programme. Trainees and instructors can reach out directly to this support system with any issue, suggestion, or complaint. This ensures that if, say, a centre has a resource gap or a trainee is facing a challenge, the Ministry and relevant agencies hear about it promptly and can intervene. In addition, each LGA, state and training centre has performance monitoring officers, coordinators and monitors who regularly interact with participants – their reports and the trainees’ input through these officials provide feedback that we review continuously.
Importantly, we are developing more structured feedback tools as well. For example, we are working on rolling out satisfaction surveys for trainees and instructors at various stages of the programme. These surveys will allow participants to rate their training experience, the curriculum, instructor quality, facilities, etc., and to make suggestions. By analyzing survey results, we can identify common issues. For instance, if many trainees in a certain trade say they need more hands-on hours or different equipment, we can adjust accordingly.
We’re also looking beyond just the training period – our focus is on continuous improvement even after trainees graduate.
We plan to launch a TVET job-matching platform that will connect our graduates with potential employers. Through this platform, employers who hire TVET graduates will be able to provide feedback on the performance and skill-readiness of those individuals.
This employer feedback loop is crucial; it will tell us how well our training is meeting industry needs. If employers report, for example, that graduates from the automotive programme are excelling, or perhaps missing a particular skill, we can use that information to update the curriculum or provide refresher courses. In summary, feedback is collected through direct support channels, planned surveys, and future digital platforms, and every bit of it is fed into an ongoing process of refining the programme – from improving instructor training and curriculum content to making administrative adjustments – so that the TVET scheme keeps getting better aligned with the needs of both trainees and the industries they will work in.
What incentives are available for industries that absorb trainees or participate in training delivery?
Firstly, any approved industry partner or training provider that participates in delivering the training is financially supported. Specifically, as I mentioned earlier, we pay N45,000 per trainee per month to every centre or company that is training students. This stipend to the training provider helps cover the costs of trainers, training materials, and other overheads, effectively rewarding companies or institutions for taking on trainees.
For example, if an engineering firm takes in 10 trainees for a month of practical training, that firm receives N450,000 for that month to offset their expenses.
Beyond direct payments, we are also formulating broader policy incentives to encourage companies to hire TVET graduates (those who complete the programme and earn their certifications). We are in discussions with other government agencies on ways to give companies an “upper hand” or recognition if they absorb certified trainees. We are even looking at whether, in the future, firms that employ a significant number of NSQ-certified TVET graduates might receive some form of government support or priority in relevant programmes. The idea is to signal that companies investing in skilled Nigerian youth will be acknowledged and potentially advantaged.
Finally, it’s worth noting an intrinsic incentive: by participating in training delivery or hiring trainees, industries are building a pipeline of skilled workers for themselves.
They get to train young people on their specific tools and processes (with our support) and then potentially hire the best performers. Many companies see this as a win-win – they help with national training efforts and, in return, gain employees who are already familiar with their work. In summary, we provide financial incentives (N45,000 per trainee/month) to training participants and are developing policy incentives to reward those who hire our graduates, all to foster strong industry engagement in the TVET program.
What roles are NBTE, NABTEB, and industry sectoral bodies playing in certification and quality assurance?
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) serves as the central regulatory body for TVET in Nigeria. They are responsible for overall quality assurance in training delivery – this includes developing the curricula and National Occupational Standards (NOS) for each trade, accrediting the training centres, and ensuring the programmes meet the required benchmarks.
In fact, NBTE worked closely with various Sector Skills Councils (industry-led groups for different sectors) to design the NOS and curricula, making sure the skills being taught match what industries actually need.
NBTE’s oversight helps maintain consistency and quality across all the centres participating in the programmes.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), on the other hand, is in charge of assessment and certification. All our trainees undergo assessments mapped to the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), and NABTEB, being the authorized examining body, administers the trade tests and exams.
Successful trainees are awarded nationally recognized NSQ certificates through NABTEB, which ensures that their qualifications are standardized and credible.
NABTEB also coordinates with other approved sectoral awarding bodies for specific industries – these are industry-specific certification bodies or professional associations that may co-award, assess or endorse the certificates in specialized trades. This partnership means that, for example, in a trade like welding, the relevant industry certification board will be undertaking the assessment and certificates issued by NABTEB. This is to make sure the certification reflects industry requirements.
The industry sectoral bodies (including the Sector Skills Councils and various industry associations) play a collaborative role in both design and quality assurance. They were instrumental in developing the training standards (ensuring the curriculum is demand-driven), and they often provide expert assessors or verifiers during practical assessments of trainees. Their involvement guarantees that the skills assessment is aligned with real workplace expectations. In summary, NBTE sets the standards and oversees training quality, NABTEB, (with sectoral awarding bodies) assesses the learners and awards the qualifications, and the sector skill council ensures that what is taught and certified truly meets the needs of employers – a joint effort that upholds a high level of quality and relevance in the TVET program.
Are there plans to digitize or integrate e-learning for some components of the programme?
At present, the TVET programme is highly hands-on by design – roughly 80% practical and only 20% theoretical – because we believe technical skills are best learned by “doing”. Trainees spend most of their time in workshops, farms, studios, and labs actually practicing the trade under guidance. Given this emphasis, we haven’t made extensive use of e-learning for the core technical modules yet, since you can’t learn, say, plumbing or welding merely via a screen. However, we are indeed looking at ways to integrate digital learning for certain components to complement the hands-on training. For example, aspects like soft skills, entrepreneurship education, safety tutorials, or basic theory lessons could be delivered through an e-learning platform. We plan to introduce online learning modules for these cross-cutting subjects. Trainees might take short online courses in communication skills, customer service, or financial literacy alongside their practical work. This blended approach would reinforce their learning without taking time away from tool-in-hand experience.
What are the Ministry’s biggest anticipated challenges and how are they being mitigated?
As I’m sure you can imagine, there will always be several challenges with a major new scheme or project such as this, which has an ambition to train hundreds of thousands or millions of Nigerians across the country. However, we are working and examining the various areas of risk and while some are identified, we also anticipate we will have new lessons but the Ministry of Education under my leadership is flexible and nimble to adapt.
One example of a risk is the disbursement of stipends and fees to the school. Rather than develop or create a new way, we are leveraging NELFUND which has demonstrated its credibility and capability to disburse payments in a seamless, trustworthy and efficient manner. This gives the Ministry of Education a shorter time to market, and better efficiency by building on existing systems, and agency to deliver new and innovative results.
What percentage of enrolments are from rural vs. urban areas?
The TVET initiative is targeted at all 774 local governments in Nigeria so we have seen students from all parts of Nigeria. As you will expect, we have more applicants and centres available in urban areas but we continue to work on ensuring we can train all Nigerians irrespective of where they are located in the country
Are there specific efforts to include persons with disabilities (PWDs) or marginalised groups?
Absolutely, in fact the TVET initiative is also linked to other programmes of the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure persons with disabilities and marginalized groups have a path into the programme and opportunities.
Sir, what are the key performance indicators for success in 2025 and beyond?
We have clear metrics to track the impact of the TVET programme, both in the immediate term (2025) and in the long run. For 2025, a primary KPI is the number of youths trained and certified under the scheme. We’ve already enrolled about 250,000 youths in the first cohort across 2,600 training centers nationwide, and we aim to scale up to millions of beneficiaries as additional cohorts are rolled out. Hitting our enrollment and graduation targets is a critical measure of success. Beyond enrollment, completion and certification rates are key – we track how many of those enrolled successfully complete the training and earn their National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certificates in their trade. Another vital performance indicator is post-training outcomes: we look at the employment rate or entrepreneurship rate of graduates. In other words, how many of our trainees secure jobs in their skill area, or start their own businesses, within a period after finishing the programme. The goal is to see a high proportion of graduates productively engaged in the economy. We will also measure stakeholder satisfaction – feedback from trainees about the training quality, and feedback from employers about the skill level of the graduates they hire. Finally, for the “beyond 2025” horizon, success will be indicated by the programme’s sustainability and expansion: for instance, an increase in the number of training centres and industry partners involved, continued government funding support (which is already in place), and the integration of TVET as a permanent feature of our education and youth employment strategy. In summary, the number of youths trained, certification earned, gainful engagement of graduates, and continuous growth of the programme are our headline KPIs moving forward.
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Chief (Dr.) Maruf Tunji Alausa (FAMedS), CON, is a board-certified nephrologist, health system executive, and respected public servant whose professional journey spans more than three decades across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He currently serves as the Honourable Minister of Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a position to which he was appointed in October 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. In recognition of his distinguished contributions to national development—particularly within the health and education sectors—he was conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) during the second anniversary of the President’s administration.
Since assuming office as Minister of Education, Dr. Alausa has spearheaded transformative reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s education sector for global competitiveness. One of his most notable achievements is the establishment of the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), a 6-point agenda focusing on: strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); expanding access to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences (STEMM); reducing the population of Out-of-School Children (OOSC); supporting Girl-child Education; enhancing Data and Digitalisation; and raising Education Quality Assurance standards. NESRI aligns seamlessly with President Tinubu’s broader commitment to shift Nigeria from a resource-dependent economy to a knowledge-driven one, while ensuring equitable access to quality education for all children regardless of location or circumstance.
Under Dr. Alausa’s stewardship, several major policy reforms have also been implemented. These include lowering the minimum entry age into tertiary institutions from 18 to 16 years, revitalising the National Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission to strengthen targeted interventions, and reactivating the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) through the appointment of a new Executive Secretary focused on restoring the Commission’s core mandate. He also repositioned the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to enhance professional standards and licensing, expanded the role of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in capacity development, and revised the national curriculum at both basic and senior secondary levels. Notably, Nigerian History was reintroduced for Primary 1 to JSS 3, while Civic and Heritage Studies were introduced for SSS 1 to SSS 3 to promote national unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship among learners.
Dr. Alausa’s dedication to educational advancement has earned him the chieftaincy title “Mene Zinakpa I of Tai (The Academic Star I)” from His Royal Majesty, King Samuel L. A. Nnee and the Kpite Council of Traditional Rulers of Tai Kingdom in Rivers State, following his instrumental role in accelerating development at the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma/Saakpenwa, Ogoni.
Before his appointment to the education sector, Dr. Alausa served as Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare (2023–2024). In this role, he championed policy reforms, healthcare governance, and Nigeria’s transition toward a digitally integrated health ecosystem. His flagship initiative—the Nigeria Digital Health Initiative—aimed to establish an interoperable national digital health architecture that would enable seamless access to medical records for all Nigerians. His earlier contribution to President Tinubu’s Presidential Policy Advisory Council on Health helped shape many of the current national healthcare reforms anchored on system resilience, accessibility, and efficiency.
A highly accomplished clinician, Dr. Alausa founded the Kidney Care Center and 5Dialysis Care Center in the United States—institutions celebrated for pioneering integrated care models for chronic kidney disease and hypertension. He is also a national leader in the U.S. Value-Based Care (VBC) movement, which prioritises high-quality care delivery at lower cost. Through his leadership, he facilitated partnerships with major U.S. healthcare payers and organisations, including United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and Somatus.
Dr. Alausa’s scholarly contributions are extensive. He has published multiple clinical and policy papers in prestigious journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. His works address renal pathophysiology, health system transformation, and evidence-based medicine. He has also presented research at national scientific forums such as the American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation.
His academic career includes serving as Chief Medical Resident at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, and later as an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical School. He completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine in Chicago and specialist training in Nephrology and Hypertension at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Alausa earned his MBBS from the University of Lagos and later pursued additional medical certifications in the United Kingdom and United States.
Throughout his career, Dr. Alausa has received numerous awards, including “One of America’s Best Physicians” (2007), recognition as an Outstanding Nephrologist in Chicago, and multiple honours from Lagos State for philanthropic contributions and medical equipment donations.
Today, Dr. Alausa continues to combine medical expertise, policy innovation, and public leadership to drive meaningful reforms in Nigeria’s education and health sectors. He remains committed to national development, global standards of excellence, and equity for all citizens.
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