The Nigerian Federal Government has announced a monthly stipend of N45,000 for students attending technical colleges, a move designed to breathe new life into the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), disclosed this during an interview in Abuja, celebrating the second year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Bugaje stated that the government’s plan extends beyond stipends to include payment of school fees, compensation for industry-based supervisors, and funding for skill certification. “The government will pay school fees, give money to industry-based supervisors (called master class instructors), and cover the cost of skill certification,” he said.
He emphasized that this comprehensive support package is intended to attract more youths to technical colleges, equipping them with skills for employment both within Nigeria and internationally. “We are at the moment facing what you may call either a resurrection or a rebirth of TVET,” Bugaje remarked.
The initiative is backed by a N120 billion grant from the government, channeled through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and is not a loan requiring repayment. To ensure sustainability, a bill is being prepared to create a National Skills Fund under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework, which will fund both public and private TVET institutions.
