Skills, Not Certificates, Will Shape Nigeria’s Future Workforce -Alausa
By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, says Nigeria’s future workforce will depend on practical skills, not academic certificates alone.
Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Attah, the Minister stated this during a panel session titled “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in Abuja, where he outlined the education reforms designed to bridge skills gaps, improve employability and prepare young Nigerians for the changing demands of the economy.
Dr. Alausa revealed that nearly 250,000 Nigerians were either undergoing training or had been enrolled in the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative, which operates through more than 1,200 accredited training centres and production hubs nationwide.
He explained that the initiative was developed to restore the relevance of technical education and ensure that skills training responds directly to the needs of employers, businesses and emerging sectors. Following a labour market and skills gap analysis, the government streamlined the previous 82 training areas to 28 market relevant trades.
The Minister said the programme prioritises practical competence, with approximately 80 per cent of training devoted to hands on learning and 20 per cent to theoretical instruction. Eligible trainees receive a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while participating training centres receive ₦50,000 per learner monthly to support training delivery.
He added that tuition is free at federal technical colleges, describing expanded access to vocational education as an important step towards equipping young Nigerians with the skills needed for gainful employment, self-employment and enterprise development.
According to Dr. Alausa, the programme attracted approximately 1.4 million applications within two weeks of the latest application portal opening, demonstrating the demand for accessible skills acquisition opportunities among young Nigerians.
The Minister also highlighted the revised national curriculum, which took effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, as a key component of efforts to align education with contemporary economic realities.
The reform reduces the number of subjects at the senior secondary level and incorporates Digital Technologies and trade subjects to strengthen digital literacy and practical skills.
He further explained that the Ministry was promoting the use of artificial intelligence to support teachers in lesson planning and assessment, while ensuring that its application does not undermine the cognitive development of children at the primary school level.
On access to tertiary education, Dr Alausa highlighted the role of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in helping students overcome financial barriers to higher education. He disclosed that NELFUND had disbursed ₦372.62 billion to students and participating institutions as of September 29, 2026.
He said the Ministry was also working with the National Universities Commission and other relevant stakeholders to encourage modern, industry relevant courses that reflect the evolving requirements of the labour market.
Beyond academic qualifications, the Minister emphasised the need to equip students with entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to create businesses and employment opportunities.
He disclosed that the Entrepreneurial Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme was being piloted in 14 universities, with plans to extend it across universities from the next academic session.
Dr. Alausa called for stronger partnerships between government, educational institutions and employers, stressing that industry stakeholders should participate in defining occupational standards, shaping relevant curricula, assessing practical competencies and providing workplace training opportunities.
He maintained that the success of education reforms should be measured not only by enrolment and graduation figures but also by the number of graduates and trainees who secure employment, establish viable businesses, improve their earnings and contribute to national productivity.
The panel discussion formed part of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, held under the theme “Growth That Works”. The summit convenes public and private sector leaders to examine policies and strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s economic performance, productivity and shared prosperity.
Dr. Alausa reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to an education system that connects learning with the productive economy and prepares Nigerian youths to compete effectively in a technology driven and increasingly skills based global labour market.
