FILE: Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
Experts say countries with strong vocational education systems often record lower youth unemployment rates because training is closely aligned with labour market demands and industrial growth priorities.
The Federal Government has disbursed N3.41bn in monthly stipends to more than 73,000 beneficiaries enrolled in its Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme, as authorities intensify efforts to address youth unemployment and bridge Nigeria’s widening skills gap.
Data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Education showed that the stipend payments formed part of a broader N13.98bn disbursement under the TVET initiative.
According to the ministry, while N3.41bn was paid directly to trainees, an additional N10.57bn was released to accredited training centres participating in the programme.
The government also disclosed that more than 1.3 million Nigerians applied for the initiative, highlighting growing interest in vocational and technical education amid rising economic pressures and limited formal employment opportunities.
The TVET initiative, launched on May 30, 2025, is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The programme provides tuition-free vocational training, monthly stipends, and start-up support for selected trades considered critical to Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
According to the ministry, the government currently works with over 1,700 training and trade centres nationwide, offering courses in more than 30 priority trades accredited by the National Board for Technical Education.
Under the “Master 6 Programme,” each trainee receives six months of tuition-free vocational training alongside a monthly stipend of N22,500.
Participants enrolled in the “Master 12 Programme” undergo one year of advanced technical training with free tuition, accommodation, feeding, and monthly stipends.
The Federal Government said the intervention was aimed at creating a pipeline of skilled workers for industries while empowering young Nigerians with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
The development comes against the backdrop of mounting concerns over unemployment and skills mismatch in Nigeria’s labour market.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment stood at 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024 under the revised methodology, although youth unemployment and underemployment remain significantly higher among Nigerians aged 15 to 34.
The International Labour Organisation has repeatedly identified skills mismatch as one of the major barriers to decent work opportunities for young people in developing economies, including Nigeria.
Despite high unemployment levels, employers in sectors such as construction, welding, mechatronics, renewable energy, ICT, agriculture, and automobile maintenance continue to report shortages of technically skilled workers.
Education and labour experts have also warned for years that Nigeria’s technical education sector suffered prolonged neglect due to poor funding, obsolete infrastructure, weak industry linkages, and societal preference for university education over vocational training.
In a bid to reposition the sector, the Federal Government recently renamed Federal Science and Technical Colleges as Federal Technical Colleges.
Students enrolled in the colleges now receive free tuition, boarding, feeding, and a monthly stipend of N5,000.
The ministry disclosed that more than 38 federal and state technical colleges have either been upgraded or repositioned under the reform initiative.
As part of efforts to strengthen quality assurance and improve practical learning outcomes, the government said it had partnered with Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education Education Services for teacher training and curriculum enhancement.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board has also been repositioned as the sole National Skills Qualification certifying authority in collaboration with sectoral awarding bodies.
Experts say countries with strong vocational education systems often record lower youth unemployment rates because training is closely aligned with labour market demands and industrial growth priorities.
The Federal Government said the current expansion of TVET programmes was designed to support national development, deepen entrepreneurship, and reduce dependence on white-collar jobs.
