The federal government has announced plans to train at least five million Nigerian youths in industry-relevant, entrepreneurial, and income-generating skills in the coming years.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during the live press launch of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Initiative in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Alausa revealed that the portal for TVET applications would open on Friday, allowing Nigerian youths to enrol for free training in high-demand skills such as coding, cloud computing, and data analytics.

“This is not a projection; it is a mission backed by strategic investments, implementation frameworks, and multiple partnerships,” he said.

Speaking on demand-driven trade areas within the TVET programme, Mr Alausa said 25 trade categories had been developed across sectors such as ICT, renewable energy, construction, agriculture, the creative industry, and the automotive industry.

The minister explained that this was based on comprehensive labour market analysis and consultations with industry stakeholders.

“We have already engaged state governors, commissioners of education, sector skills councils, regulatory agencies, employers, and development partners to build ownership at every level,” the minister stated.

Drawing comparisons with global success stories, Mr Alausa noted that countries like Germany, South Korea, Singapore, and China had long established TVET as the foundation of industrial growth.

“This is not a reinvention. We’re doing what the world’s most successful economies have already done.

“Technical skills built Germany’s economy 500 years ago, and they remain the industrial powerhouse of Europe today,” he said.

He highlighted a three-year technical programme, which would be delivered through both state and federal institutions, offering multi-level certifications.

“Accredited private institutions and skilled artisans will also serve as training centres to ensure scalability and quality delivery.

“Artisans involved in the training will be incentivised with N30,000 per student per month to mentor apprentices, helping to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of mentorship and job creation. Graduates will receive starter kits tailored to their specific trades tools for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and others, to help them begin work immediately,” Mr Alausa said.

The minister added that the initiative also included soft loans and entrepreneurial support through partnerships with the Bank of Industry.

To ensure transparency and accountability, Mr Alausa said the government would deploy geofencing technology and National Identity Number (NIN) verification to monitor student attendance and performance.

“The NELFUND platform will be used to disburse stipends, pay training centres, and manage the programme’s operations,” he said.

He emphasised that the ultimate goal was to build a skilled, globally competitive, and entrepreneurial workforce.

Also speaking at the event, Idris Bugaje, executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), stressed that TVET should remain under the Ministry of Education.

He emphasised that it should not be moved solely to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Mr Bugaje argued that the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), aligned with global best practices, should remain with the education ministry.

He also advocated for a N77,000 monthly minimum wage for TVET students to boost enrolment.

Sandra Aguebor, Nigeria’s first female mechanic, called for more skilled workers to be trained in automotive manufacturing.

(NAN)