The number of candidates sitting for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) entrance examinations has risen dramatically from 7,547 in 2024 to 30,000 in 2025. This was disclosed by the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Mohammed, during a monitoring visit to the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) in Uromi, Edo State.
Speaking through NABTEB’s Director of Research and Quality Assurance, Mr. Pius Osaigbovo, Dr. Mohammed attributed the over 300 percent increase in enrolment to various incentives recently introduced by the federal government to promote technical education.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NABTEB supervised the nationwide exams, which were held at designated centres, including FSTC Uromi.
The federal government has rolled out several support measures for TVET students, including a N30,000 monthly stipend for technical college students, free tuition, accommodation, and in some cases, feeding. Additionally, startup grants and access to business loans are being provided to encourage entrepreneurship among graduates.
Dr. Mohammed emphasized the government’s commitment to equipping individuals with relevant and employable skills. “The federal government wants to give individuals a survival skill, a skill that is relevant, that makes them employers of labour and useful to themselves and society,” he said.
He noted that successful candidates would be awarded dual certificates: the National Technical or Business Certificate (NTC/NBC) and the National Skills Qualification (NSQ), which is competency-based.
He further explained that the revamped TVET programme would span three years, comprising 80 percent practical training and 20 percent theoretical learning, aligning with the government’s skill-based education drive.
Expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the examination, Dr. Mohammed said it was hitch-free, adding that only candidates who completed their online registration before the June 12 deadline were allowed to sit for the exams.
