In a major push to revive technical education in Nigeria, the Federal Government has introduced a ₦45,000 monthly stipend for students in technical colleges across the country.
This initiative is part of a broader plan to boost Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and make it a more appealing path for young Nigerians. According to Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the move is designed to shift focus from traditional university routes to skill-based training, which he says holds more promise for employment opportunities.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bugaje said the stipend is just one part of a comprehensive support package. “The government will also cover teaching fees, pay industry-based supervisors—known as ‘master class’ instructors—for students on industrial attachment, and cover costs for skill certification,” he explained.
He added, “With this, young people will find it more attractive to come to a technical college, acquire skills qualification, get jobs locally and even beyond the borders of Nigeria.”
Bugaje described the development as a “rebirth” of TVET, recalling how the sector once thrived in Nigeria’s early post-independence years. Unfortunately, since the 1980s, interest and investment in technical education have declined sharply. Today, Nigeria has only 129 technical colleges, compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools.
However, the government is hopeful that this new incentive will reverse the trend. To support the effort, the Tinubu administration has set aside a ₦120 billion grant for students, to be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). This funding marks a significant shift in strategy, aiming to make skills-based education more accessible and attractive.
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