The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, has unveiled the Nigeria Polytechnic Foundation (NIPOF), a new initiative designed to strengthen technical education and drive innovation across the country’s polytechnics.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony organised by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Ahmad said the foundation would reposition Nigerian polytechnics as centres of creativity, technical expertise and applied research that respond directly to industry and societal needs.
She noted that the establishment of NIPOF comes at a critical time when national conversations are centred on skills development, youth employability and preparing the workforce for future economic demands.
According to the minister, polytechnics remain central to producing the skilled manpower needed in key sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy, digital technology, agriculture and transportation.
“The unveiling of this foundation is not just the birth of an institution; it marks the beginning of a movement to reposition our polytechnics as engines of creativity and innovation,” she said.
Ahmad explained that NIPOF would support programme development, strengthen infrastructure, promote entrepreneurship, reward excellence and improve the quality of teaching and learning in polytechnic institutions nationwide.
She added that global emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM), as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), makes it imperative for Nigeria to prioritise investment in technical education to remain competitive.
The minister identified areas where the foundation would make significant impact, including expanding industry-based training and internships, strengthening private sector partnerships, building lecturer capacity, funding commercially viable research and prototypes, encouraging female participation in technical fields and boosting student entrepreneurship.
She also stressed the need to change public perception of technical education, describing TVET as a strategic pathway to national development rather than a second-choice option.
Ahmad assured stakeholders of the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that NIPOF becomes a catalyst for excellence, innovation and inclusion in Nigeria’s polytechnic system.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nura Rimi, congratulated NBTE and the NIPOF Council, noting that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s goal of building a highly skilled workforce and strengthening collaboration between polytechnics and industry.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stressed the urgent need to revitalise Nigeria’s technical education system, warning that industrialisation would remain slow unless polytechnics are better equipped and adequately funded.
Bugaje explained that the idea for NIPOF emerged after a failed attempt in 2021 to secure modern training equipment from a United States institution, which declined to donate to a Nigerian government agency.
“That experience made it clear that we needed a non-governmental platform. Hence, the idea of a Nigerian Polytechnic Foundation,” he said.
He added that the minister’s intervention had expanded the foundation’s vision, urging Nigerian industries to actively partner with polytechnics to ensure graduates meet modern manufacturing and industrial demands.
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