File: Education minister, Tunji Alausa
Plans to certify millions of skilled artisans through the Recognition of Prior Learning framework.
The Federal Government on Thursday inaugurated the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education after more than five years without one.
It also rolled out a fresh reform agenda aimed at repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a key driver of industrialisation, job creation and economic growth.
At the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, charged the board to fast-track reforms that would align technical education with industry needs, modernise curricula, certify skilled artisans and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global economy.
He described the inauguration as a major milestone in implementing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education and human capital development at the centre of the country’s economic transformation.
Alausa said the administration was deliberately shifting Nigeria’s education system from overdependence on academic certificates to one that produces competent, innovative and highly skilled graduates capable of driving industrialisation and entrepreneurship.
“The inauguration of this Governing Board is another significant milestone in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister said.
He congratulated the chairman and members of the board, describing their appointments as a recognition of their professionalism, integrity and commitment to national service.
“I am confident that the calibre of individuals appointed will provide the strategic leadership required to strengthen NBTE’s mandate, deepen reforms across the technical education sector and accelerate the Federal Government’s vision of building a globally competitive workforce,” he said.
Alausa stressed that Technical and Vocational Education and Training should no longer be viewed as a second-choice pathway but as a strategic national priority.
“No nation can achieve meaningful industrialisation without a strong base of technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, automation specialists, machine operators and other skilled professionals,” he said.
He said the federal government had prioritised the sector through sustained investments and reforms aimed at bridging the gap between education and industry while equipping learners with practical skills for employment, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
The minister outlined four major priorities for the new board, including providing strategic leadership and effective oversight, accelerating the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning framework, modernising technical education curricula to reflect Industry 4.0 and ensuring prudent management of public resources.
He directed the board to work with the Industrial Training Fund and other stakeholders to accelerate the Recognition of Prior Learning initiative, which seeks to formally recognise and certify the competencies of skilled artisans under the National Skills Qualification Framework.
According to him, the initiative will improve employability, expand access to finance, create opportunities for government contracts and enhance labour mobility across the ECOWAS region.
Alausa also ordered a comprehensive review of technical education curricula through Outcome-Based Education, saying programmes must incorporate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, digital technologies, green technologies and advanced manufacturing.
He further encouraged polytechnics to gradually phase out non-technical programmes outside their statutory mandate while strengthening engineering, technology and applied science programmes.
The minister also urged the board to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
“Public resources, capital projects, intervention funds, research initiatives and institutional investments must translate into measurable improvements in skills acquisition, institutional performance, youth employment and national productivity,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the board, Chairman Prof. Babatunde L. Salako thanked President Tinubu and the Minister of Education for the confidence reposed in the members, pledging their commitment to repositioning technical education.
“This inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter for technical education in Nigeria. We will work diligently to expand opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire relevant technical skills, promote innovation and nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs and job creators,” Salako said.
He added that changing the perception of technical education as a second-choice option would be among the board’s immediate priorities.
“We must encourage parents, students and society to embrace TVET as a respected pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national development. We will justify the confidence reposed in us through dedicated service, effective governance and measurable results,” he added.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, described the inauguration as historic, noting that the agency had operated without a governing board for more than five years.
“This is a landmark achievement that reflects the Honourable Minister’s decisive leadership and unwavering commitment to repositioning technical education in Nigeria,” Bugaje said.
He assured the minister that the board would work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education to implement the administration’s TVET reform agenda.
The inauguration comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a cornerstone of its education reform agenda.
In recent months, the Ministry of Education has expanded investments in TVET, introduced initiatives to revitalise technical colleges, strengthened skills acquisition programmes and promoted industry-driven curriculum reforms.
The government has also launched plans to certify millions of skilled artisans through the Recognition of Prior Learning framework, arguing that expanding access to quality technical education is critical to creating jobs, closing Nigeria’s skills gap and driving sustainable economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
