A federal government skills development initiative has garnered applications from over 1.3 million young Nigerians, signaling a massive shift towards vocational training, according to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the NBTE, revealed the figures in a recent radio interview, highlighting the scale of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program.
“So far, about 1.3 million youth have applied, and 960,000 have been screened,” Bugaje stated. He confirmed that training has begun for an initial batch of 58,000, noting, “You might say this is a small number, but it’s only the beginning.”
Professor Bugaje framed the initiative as a necessary response to Nigeria’s demographic reality. “Nigeria is the country with the largest youth population in the world,” he stressed. “About 70% of Nigerians are under the age of 30. No other country has such a demographic.”
He was critical of the traditional education system, arguing that it conditions graduates to seek scarce government jobs instead of creating their own opportunities. “Youth must be taught skills that help them rely on themselves,” he asserted.
Bugaje emphasized that vocational learning extends beyond formal classrooms, pointing to informal hubs like the Panteka market in Kaduna and roadside workshops as vital, community-based training centers.
He also highlighted parallel initiatives from other ministries, including the Ministry of Communications’ program to train three million youth in digital skills and the Ministry of Works’ plan to train one million in construction trades.
Lamenting the dominance of foreign artisans in local markets, Bugaje said, “Right now in Nigeria, artisans from Benin and Togo are the ones doing our POP work, even in Abuja which is shameful. Meanwhile, our youth are idle, roaming neighborhoods with no jobs.”
The NBTE, he assured, is committed to evaluating the training centers and ensuring the credibility of the certifications issued under the program.
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