The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive free education package for students in public technical colleges across Nigeria, as part of a bold effort to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and attract more young Nigerians into the skills-driven sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, made this announcement on Friday during a press conference to officially launch the renewed TVET Initiative. He revealed that the package includes free tuition, accommodation, feeding, and a monthly stipend of ₦22,500 for every student enrolled in federal and state-owned technical colleges.
The initiative is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at ensuring inclusiveness in education and tackling youth unemployment through skills development. According to Alausa, the goal is to empower Nigerian youths with industry-relevant, entrepreneurial, and income-generating skills, targeting the training of no fewer than five million young people by 2030.
“This is not just another policy announcement,” the minister said. “We are here to declare a national resolve to unlock the potential of millions of young Nigerians by equipping them with market-driven skills and positioning TVET as a foundation for economic recovery, industrial competitiveness, and social inclusion.”
The education minister highlighted that the programme would be inclusive and decentralized, with active collaboration from state governments, private sector players, development partners, and other stakeholders. The government, he added, is currently accrediting TVET centres across the country, including private institutions, to train students under various categories.
Alausa explained that the reform is built on a standardized and industry-aligned skills certification framework—the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). It will be implemented in partnership with domestic and international awarding bodies to ensure certifications are globally respected and locally relevant. The reform also involves restructuring the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and expanding access to business start-up kits, training grants, and single-digit loans through the Bank of Industry (BOI).
To further drive the initiative, more than 3,600 technical teachers and instructors have been retrained, with the government scaling up accreditation efforts for both public and private training centres. The registration portal for trainees under the TVET programme will be launched soon by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Minister Alausa stressed the importance of changing public perception of vocational education, urging Nigerians to see TVET not as a second-tier option but as a primary pathway to dignity, productivity, and sustainable development.
Echoing this sentiment, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the initiative as a bold step for young innovators, problem-solvers, and builders ready to shape Nigeria’s future through practical skills and creativity.
As the initiative rolls out, the federal government is calling on all sectors—public, private, and civil society—to act as co-owners of the reform, ensuring its success and long-term impact on the nation’s economy.
