FAVOUR ISHEMBER, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced that more than 150,000 apprentices are presently training across over 1,600 certified skills centres across the country, being guided by thousands of qualified trainers and quality-control officers to guarantee uniform standards and job-ready results under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)scheme.
Speaking at the National TVET Conference 2026 in Lagos, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, revealed this update and restated the administration’s pledge to shift Nigeria toward a competency-based economy.
He stressed that TVET is key to boosting national output, powering industry expansion, and creating lasting employment for millions of Nigerian youth.
Alausa added that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the focus of education is being redirected. The goal now is to graduate innovators, business founders, skilled technicians, and employers instead of graduates who only chase jobs.
In a press release issued by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser (Media and Communications), the Minister pointed out that with close to 5 million young Nigerians joining the workforce each year, investing urgently in skills that match industry needs has become unavoidable.
Through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, NESRI, the Minister said government is reinforcing the National Skills Qualification Framework, tightening quality checks, and rolling out more competency-based learning nationwide.
Looking ahead, Dr. Alausa said the next phase will prioritize raising quality standards, pulling the private sector deeper into training, and strengthening connections to the job market. He noted that fast-rising fields like artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing will shape tomorrow’s careers, making continuous investment in skills training a must for national progress.
For his efforts in driving skills reform and TVET transformation, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, received the TVET Champion of the Year Award at the event, in recognition of his role in repositioning technical education as an engine for national change.
Representing Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat called TVET a critical route to jobs, innovation, and national growth.
He emphasized equipping Nigerian youth with hands-on, digital, and entrepreneurial abilities to meet the demands of a tech-led, green economy. He also spotlighted Lagos State’s spending on technical colleges, private-sector partnerships, and practical training, and urged tighter teamwork among government, industry, and development partners to build a skills-powered economy.
In his opening address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making TVET central to job creation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
He outlined ongoing work to upgrade technical colleges, expand competency-based instruction, and deepen ties with industry and development partners.
He urged better alignment between training results and labour market demands, praised programs like WorldSkills Nigeria, and charged stakeholders to turn conference talks into concrete actions that open doors for young Nigerians and advance national development.
International development partners also applauded Nigeria’s TVET progress. Switzerland’s Consul General, Ms. Conny Cammezind, reiterated backing for youth jobs and entrepreneurship.
On his part, Germany’s Consul General in Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Krull, commended the Renewed Hope TVET Initiative and the SKYE II Programme, highlighting the need for industry involvement and skills training shaped by market demand.
Dr. Karen Jansen, Chair of the TVET Donor and Development Partners Working Group, described the conference as a key platform for advancing employability, inclusion, and green growth through stronger policy alignment and the integration of digital and green skills.
The 3-day conference, themed “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building a System for Employability, Inclusion and Green Growth in Nigeria,” gathered policymakers, business leaders, and development partners to strengthen Nigeria’s skills system and speed up economic transformation.
economy. He also spotlighted Lagos State’s spending on technical colleges, private-sector partnerships, and practical training, and urged tighter teamwork among government, industry, and development partners to build a skills-powered economy.
In his opening address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making TVET central to job creation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
He outlined ongoing work to upgrade technical colleges, expand competency-based instruction, and deepen ties with industry and development partners.
He urged better alignment between training results and labour market demands, praised programs like WorldSkills Nigeria, and charged stakeholders to turn conference talks into concrete actions that open doors for young Nigerians and advance national development.
International development partners also applauded Nigeria’s TVET progress. Switzerland’s Consul General, Ms. Conny Cammezind, reiterated backing for youth jobs and entrepreneurship.
On his part, Germany’s Consul General in Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Krull, commended the Renewed Hope TVET Initiative and the SKYE II Programme, highlighting the need for industry involvement and skills training shaped by market demand.
Dr. Karen Jansen, Chair of the TVET Donor and Development Partners Working Group, described the conference as a key platform for advancing employability, inclusion, and green growth through stronger policy alignment and the integration of digital and green skills.
The 3-day conference, themed “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building a System for Employability, Inclusion and Green Growth in Nigeria,” gathered policymakers, business leaders, and development partners to strengthen Nigeria’s skills system and speed up economic transformation.
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