Executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, has said 960,000 youths have been screened for enrolment into the federal government’s new skills development initiative under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
Bugaje said about 1.3 million youths initially applied for the programme but 960,000 of them were screened.
NBTE executive secretary who revealed the figures in a recent interview with RFI Hausa Radio, emphasised the scale and significance of the new government effort.
Bugaje said the skills development programme marks the beginning of a nationwide shift toward empowering youths with hands-on, job-ready skills.
NBTE boss criticised the traditional focus on academic qualifications that do not lead to employment, advocating instead for skill-based education that reflects the realities of Nigeria’s labour market.
He further argued that vocational learning is not limited to classrooms or formal institutions, but can be found in local workshops, artisan hubs, and informal learning centers like Panteka in Kaduna.
“Right now in Nigeria, artisans from Benin and Togo are the ones doing our POP work, even in Abuja – which is shameful. Meanwhile, our youth are idle, roaming neighborhoods with no jobs,” Bugaje said.
Bugaje added, “So far, about 1.3 million youth have applied, and 960,000 have been screened. Just last week, the Minister of Education launched training for the first batch of 58,000. You might say this is a small number, but it’s only the beginning.” he stated.
The TVET programme, launched by the Ministry of Education, aims to provide practical, employment-focused training for Nigeria’s rapidly growing youth population. With 70% of Nigerians under the age of 30, the country is at a demographic crossroads.
