Nigeria’s renewed push for vocational and technical education is gaining national traction, as the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) reports that over 1.3 million youths have applied for enrolment in the federal government’s new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, disclosed the figures during an interview with RFI Hausa Radio, highlighting the programme’s critical role in equipping young Nigerians with employable, practical skills.
> “So far, about 1.3 million youths have applied, and 960,000 have been screened. The first batch of 58,000 trainees has already begun training,” Bugaje said, noting that this marks the beginning of a long-term national skills development effort.
The initiative, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education, aims to reduce unemployment and dependence on white-collar jobs by expanding opportunities for hands-on learning in various trades.
Bugaje described the programme as essential for a country where over 70% of the population is under 30, calling it “a strategic response to Nigeria’s youth bulge and the mismatch between education and labour market needs.”
He criticised the overemphasis on traditional academic qualifications that do not translate into jobs, urging young Nigerians to embrace vocational learning through both formal institutions and informal hubs such as Panteka in Kaduna and community-based workshops across the country.
> “Vocational education goes beyond classrooms. Artisan hubs and informal training centres are also vital learning spaces that must be supported,” he said.
Bugaje further noted that the skills development drive extends beyond the education sector. The Ministry of Communications has launched the MTT Programme to train three million youths in digital skills, including artificial intelligence and content creation, while the Ministry of Works is implementing NASAP, a scheme to train one million youths in construction-related trades such as masonry, carpentry, and POP design.
He lamented the heavy reliance on foreign artisans from neighbouring countries like Benin and Togo, even in major cities such as Abuja, calling it “a wake-up call for Nigeria to invest in its own skilled workforce.”
Funding and certification logistics are being coordinated through NELFund, while NBTE will oversee accreditation and quality assurance across training centres nationwide.
The TVET initiative represents a key pillar of Nigeria’s strategy to tackle youth unemployment and promote self-reliance through skill-based education — a shift experts say could redefine the nation’s workforce for decades to come.
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