The Federal Government has disclosed that nearly 250,000 Nigerians are undergoing or have been enrolled in its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, as part of efforts to equip young people with market-relevant skills and improve employment opportunities across the country.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, disclosed this during a panel session titled “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in Abuja.

Alausa said the programme operates through more than 1,200 accredited training centres and production hubs nationwide, stressing that the Federal Government was shifting the focus of education from certificates alone to practical skills, employability and productivity.

According to him, the initiative was designed to bridge existing skills gaps and ensure that vocational training responds directly to the needs of employers, businesses and emerging sectors of the economy.

He explained that following a labour market and skills gap analysis, the government streamlined the previous 82 training areas to 28 market-relevant trades.

The minister said the programme places strong emphasis on practical competence, with approximately 80 per cent of training devoted to hands-on learning and 20 per cent to theoretical instruction.

He added that eligible trainees receive a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while participating training centres receive ₦50,000 per learner monthly to support training delivery.

Alausa also disclosed that the programme attracted approximately 1.4 million applications within two weeks of the latest application portal opening, describing the response as evidence of the growing demand for accessible vocational and technical education among Nigerians.

He further stated that tuition remained free at federal technical colleges, noting that expanding access to technical education was essential to preparing young people for gainful employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship.

The minister identified the revised national curriculum, which took effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, as another major component of the government’s education reform agenda.

He said the curriculum had been redesigned to reflect contemporary economic realities, reduce the number of subjects at the senior secondary school level and incorporate Digital Technologies and trade subjects to strengthen digital literacy and practical skills.

Alausa also highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education, particularly in supporting teachers with lesson planning and assessment.

However, he emphasised the need to ensure that the use of AI does not undermine children’s cognitive development at the primary school level.

On tertiary education, the minister disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed ₦372.62 billion to students and participating institutions as of September 29, 2026.

He said the intervention was helping students overcome financial barriers to higher education, while the Ministry continued to work with the National Universities Commission and other stakeholders to promote courses that align with the changing demands of the labour market.

Beyond formal academic qualifications, Alausa stressed the importance of equipping students with entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to establish businesses and create employment opportunities.

He disclosed that the Entrepreneurial Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme was being piloted in 14 universities, with plans to extend it to universities from the next academic session.

The minister called for stronger partnerships between government, educational institutions and the private sector, urging industry stakeholders to participate actively in defining occupational standards, developing relevant curricula, assessing practical competencies and providing workplace training opportunities.

According to him, collaboration between educational institutions and employers is necessary to ensure that graduates possess the competencies required to succeed in the workplace and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

Alausa maintained that the success of education reforms should not be measured solely by enrolment figures or the number of graduates produced, but also by the number of people who secure employment, establish viable businesses, improve their earnings and contribute to national productivity.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building an education system that connects learning with the productive economy and prepares Nigerian youths to compete in an increasingly technology-driven and skills-based global labour market.

The 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit was held under the theme “Growth That Works”, bringing together public and private sector leaders to discuss policies and strategies for improving Nigeria’s economic performance, productivity and shared prosperity.