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To empower youths, the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education has revealed plans to train over five million Nigerian youths with industry-relevant, entrepreneurial, and income-generating skills.
According to the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, the skills training will start soon and extend into the coming years.
He spoke on Friday during the live press launch of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Initiative in Abuja.
The portal for TVET applications, he said, would open Friday to allow Nigerian youths to enrol for free training in high-demand skills such as coding, cloud computing, and data analytics.
The Minister said “This is not a projection; it is a mission backed by strategic investments, implementation frameworks, and multiple partnerships,”
According to him, 25 trade categories had been developed across sectors such as ICT, renewable energy, construction, agriculture, the creative industry, and the automotive industry.
He explained further that it was based on comprehensive labour market analysis and consultations with industry stakeholders.
Dr Alausa said “The reform is designed to be inclusive, decentralised, and collaborative.
“We have already engaged state governors, commissioners of education, sector skills councils, regulatory agencies, employers, and development partners to build ownership at every level,” he added
Noting that TVET as the foundation of industrial growth globally, the Minister said that countries like Germany, South Korea, Singapore, and China had long established in.
“This is not a reinvention. We’re doing what the world’s most successful economies have already done.
“Technical skills built Germany’s economy 500 years ago, and they remain the industrial powerhouse of Europe today,” he said.
He said that a Three-Year Technical Programme would be delivered through both state and federal institutions, and offer multi-level certifications.
“Accredited private institutions and skilled artisans will also serve as training centres to ensure scalability and quality delivery.
“Artisans involved in the training will be incentivised with N30,000 per student per month to mentor apprentices, helping to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of mentorship and job creation.
“Graduates will receive starter kits tailored to their specific trades, tools for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and others, to help them begin work immediately.
“The initiative will also include soft loans and entrepreneurial support through partnerships with the Bank of Industry, empowering graduates to start their own businesses.
“Whether they want to work for someone or build something of their own, we’re backing them every step of the way. This is how we create jobs and wealth,” the Minister stated
To boost transparency and accountability, the Minister disclosed that the government would deploy geofencing technology and National Identity Number (NIN) verification to monitor student attendance and performance.
“The NELFUND platform will be used to disburse stipends, pay training centres, and manage the programme’s operations.”
The Minister said that the main aim is to build a skilled, globally competitive, and entrepreneurial workforce.
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, at the event said that TVET should remain under the Ministry of Education.
He said that it should not be moved solely to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
He added that the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), aligned with global best practices, should remain with the education ministry.
Bugaje also pushed for a N77,000 monthly minimum wage for TVET students to boost enrolment.
Speaking at the occasion, Nigeria’s first female mechanic, Sandra Aguebor, called for more skilled workers to be trained in automotive manufacturing.
Harping on the role women could play in the industry, she highlighted their strength in multitasking.
Her association, she disclosed, had already trained more than 6,000 female mechanics.
She urged for more support for women in that direction.