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The Federal Government has responded to concerns over the country’s skills deficit, announcing that over 100,000 Nigerians are currently being trained in technical and vocational skills as part of efforts to address the shortage of skilled workforce in the country.
The Federal Ministry of Education in a statement, said the training programme is part of the government’s TVET Initiative, aimed at repositioning technical education as a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The Ministry said the trainees are being equipped with industry-relevant skills in over 1,600 technical and vocational training programmes across Federal and State Technical Colleges, Skills Training Centres, and accredited Vocational Enterprise Institutions nationwide.
“This initial batch of 100,000 Nigerians is part of the first cohort of 250,000 that will be fully enrolled in the next two to three months. We have plans to train over one million young Nigerians within the next two years with industry relevant skills to meet both local , regional and Global demands for technical based jobs. We are delighted to announce that the TVET Initiative roll out has been a phenomenal success so far.
“These programmes are focused on priority skills aligned with national development objectives and current labour market demands.
“In parallel, technical institutions are being revitalised through curriculum updates, modern equipment deployment, instructor capacity development, and strengthened quality assurance systems. Trained Quality Assurance Assessors and Internal Quality Assurance Managers have been deployed nationwide to ensure training outcomes meet national occupational standards and international benchmarks,” the statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade said.
According to the statement, the initiative targets large-scale skills production in areas such as industrial mechanics, electrical installation, welding and fabrication, mechatronics, solar photovoltaic installation, and other industry-driven technical skills.
“The TVET Initiative targets large-scale skills production in areas such as industrial mechanics, electrical installation, welding and fabrication, mechatronics, solar photovoltaic installation, compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion and maintenance, refrigeration and HVAC, ICT, and other industry-driven technical skills,” the statement said.
The Ministry said the programme is designed to ensure that graduates are not only certified but also employable and job-ready, with plans to train over one million young Nigerians within the next two years.
The statement attributed the initiative to the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing the importance of technical and vocational education in driving sustainable development and economic growth.
The Federal Government also stated that it has begun providing structured stipends to trainees under the TVET Initiative, with the first tranche of payments already released to training centres, to support access, retention, and successful completion of the programme.
