Register and chief executive officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, has urged Nigerian youths to acquire vocational and technical skills to secure their future and help to reduce unemployment in the county.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Mohammed said formal education alone is no longer enough to guarantee employment.
“You can be a lawyer, but nothing stops you from getting a skill. You may be a communicator, but nothing stops you from learning a trade. So when one is not there, you can always fall back on the other,” Mohammed said.
The NABTEB moss lamented that many graduates are without practical skills and remain unemployed for years, while artisans with vocational training earn higher incomes.
“To get a good plumber, roofer, or PoP installer in Nigeria today is difficult.
Any good tiling or finishing you see in many Nigerian buildings is often not done by Nigerians. The building industry alone can feed us if we have skilled people.”
He revealed that in recent months, more Nigerians have been contacting NABTEB with inquiries about skills training, an encouraging sign that young people are beginning to value trades and technical expertise.
“With more effort and support, we can make a change,” Mohammed said. “God is there whether we are Muslims or Christians, but we must play our part by adding more effort.”
He also called on government, private sector stakeholders, and community leaders to invest more in technical education and skill acquisition initiatives, arguing that this would create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
