The Federal Government has restated commitment to transforming Nigeria into a skills-driven economy, declaring Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, a critical pillar for boosting productivity, driving industrialisation and creating sustainable employment opportunities for millions of young Nigerians.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, stated this at the National TVET Conference 2026 in Lagos
Alausa said the the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is repositioning the education sector to produce innovators, entrepreneurs, technicians and job creators capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.
According to the Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the minister said the Federal Government’s skills development drive under the Renewed Hope Agenda is already yielding results, with more than 150,000 trainees currently undergoing vocational and technical training in over 1,600 accredited centres across the country.
Alausa noted that with nearly five million young Nigerians entering the labour market every year, expanding access to industry-relevant skills has become an urgent national priority.
He explained that through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, NESRI, the government is strengthening the National Skills Qualification Framework, improving quality assurance mechanisms and scaling up competency-based training programmes nationwide.
He added that thousands of instructors and quality assurance officers have been deployed to support the initiative and ensure that training outcomes meet national standards and enhance employability.
The minister said the next phase of implementation would focus on improving training quality, strengthening partnerships with the private sector and deepening linkages between skills acquisition and labour market opportunities.
He identified emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing as key areas that will shape future employment and economic growth.
In recognition of his role in advancing technical education reforms, Alausa was honoured with the TVET Champion of the Year Award at the conference for his contributions to repositioning skills development as a catalyst for national transformation.
Also speaking, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat described TVET as a strategic pathway to employment, innovation and national development. He stressed the need to equip young Nigerians with practical, digital and entrepreneurial skills required in a global economy increasingly driven by technology and green growth.
Hamzat also highlighted Lagos State’s investments in technical colleges, industry partnerships and hands-on training programmes, while calling for stronger collaboration among governments, industries and development partners to build a robust skills-based economy.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making TVET a major driver of employment, inclusion and green growth.
He said efforts were ongoing to strengthen technical colleges, expand competency-based training and align educational outcomes more closely with labour market demands.
International development partners also commended Nigeria’s progress in implementing TVET reforms. The Consul General of Switzerland in Nigeria, Conny Cammezind, reiterated support for youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives, while Germany’s Consul General, Daniel Krull, praised the Renewed Hope TVET Initiative and the SKYE II Programme, underscoring the importance of industry participation and demand-driven skills development.
Chair of the TVET Donor and Development Partners Working Group, Dr. Karen Jansen, described the conference as an important platform for promoting employability, inclusion and green growth through stronger policy coordination and the integration of digital and green skills into training programmes.
The three-day conference, themed “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building a System for Employability, Inclusion and Green Growth in Nigeria,” brought together policymakers, industry leaders and development partners to strengthen Nigeria’s skills ecosystem and accelerate economic transformation.
