The Social Advocacy Forum (SAF) has commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for placing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at the forefront of its human capital development agenda.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Tahir Ibrahim Tahir and Secretary Shehu Atta, the group noted that the government deserves applause for recognising skills acquisition as a strategic instrument for youth development, economic empowerment, and national competitiveness.
“We have been watching how the Federal Government has embarked on a coordinated effort to modernise and revive technical schools across the country.
“This renewed focus on TVET forms part of the administration’s broader social intervention framework and its vision to create a skilled manpower pool capable of meeting domestic industrial demands as well as global outsourcing opportunities,” it said.
The group observed that this strategic investment has the potential to significantly redirect the trajectory of Nigeria’s rapidly growing youthful population.
“According to 2026 Worldometer estimates, Nigeria’s youth population (aged 15–35) stands at approximately 167 million, with about 51 per cent—roughly 85 million—either unemployed or underemployed.
“So harnessing this demographic potential through structured and scalable skills development is not only desirable but imperative for sustainable national development.
“Historically, many youth empowerment initiatives in Nigeria have focused primarily on individual-based interventions. While such programmes have offered short-term relief and benefits, they have often lacked systemic depth. When implemented in isolation, these efforts risk fostering a scarcity mindset among young people, inadvertently contributing to frustration and social restiveness.
“A comprehensive, institution-driven TVET reform offers a more sustainable pathway—one that builds enduring capacity rather than temporary support. To confront these structural challenges and unlock emerging opportunities, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) in partnership with the World Bank’s Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project, is implementing an ambitious nationwide TVET initiative,” SAF added.
It also provided some insight into what the government intends to achieve.
“The programme aims to train over 960,000 youths across 2,600 centres in 28 high-demand trades, including ICT, welding and fabrication, renewable energy, fashion design, hospitality, and plumbing.
“It is tuition-free and designed to be 90 per cent practical, ensuring hands-on competency development. We are aware that participants will receive a monthly stipend of ₦22,500, alongside post-training starter packs or business grants to support enterprise creation.
“Furthermore, the Ministry is exploring collaboration with the Bank of Industry to enable graduates to access flexible financing options to expand their ventures upon completion of training.
We also note that Federal Technical Colleges have been made tuition-free. Trade offerings have been streamlined to reflect current market needs, and workshop rehabilitation is ongoing nationwide,” the statement added.
