FG targets youth unemployment through technical skills reform

By Dickson Omobola

Federal Government has disclosed plans to reduce unemployment in the country, saying it has developed a framework to connect available skills and labour market demands through technical and vocational training.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said government was implementing the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, NESRI, a comprehensive education reform programme, to achieve this objective.

Alausa said the initiative was necessary because Nigeria’s population was projected to exceed 350 million people by 2050, with nearly 70 per cent under the age of 30.

He added that, through NESRI, more than 4,000 instructors and teachers had been trained in modern teaching methods and industry-specific trades.

According to him, over 2,500 quality assurance managers had also been trained and deployed to strengthen standards across federal technical colleges, vocational enterprise institutions and skills training centres.

He disclosed that government had upgraded more than 38 technical workshops and laid the foundation for a modern national skills infrastructure.

He spoke at the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, 2026 conference, themed: ‘Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building a System for Employability Inclusion and Green Growth in Nigeria,’ held in Lagos.

In his address, he said: “Nations that invest aggressively in skills development today will dominate the economies of tomorrow. For Nigeria, this is not merely an educational challenge; it is an economic imperative. Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu, education has become a cornerstone of the administration. Mr President recognises that Nigeria’s greatest asset is not its oil, minerals, or natural resources, but its people particularly its youthful population.

“We have launched the National Skills Information Centre and are operationalizing a National Job Matching Platform that will connect skills acquisition directly to employment opportunities 21. I am sure you would agree with me that this marks a fundamental shift from training-for-training’s-sake to a genuine skills-to-jobs ecosystem.

“Our goal is very clear: Every TVET graduate should possess skills that are relevant, marketable, certified, and linked to economic opportunities. The next phase of reform will focus on scaling quality, deepening industry participation, strengthening labour market linkages and ensuring sustainable financing for skills development. Our objective is not simply to reduce unemployment, but also to build a productive workforce. Strengthen industrialization.”

Also speaking, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made a case for TVET, describing it as not a second choice but a smart choice and a pathway to dignity, productivity, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said the state had invested heavily in infrastructure to deliver the skills required to produce a capable workforce.

He said: “Through the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, we currently serve over 10,000 students annually across five government technical colleges, offering industry-relevant training in Engineering, Construction, ICT, and the creative trades. More than 3,300 students were placed in industry through our Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme last year alone, because we believe that the bridge between classroom and workplace must be built before graduation, not after.

“Our 43 fully accredited courses, 12 newly approved programmes, and a pilot Competency-Based Training initiative running across three colleges reflect our commitment not just to access, but to quality. Over 500 industry and development partners, from GIZ and Schneider Electric to IBILE Oil and Gas, are actively co-investing in curriculum, equipment, and instructor capacity.

“The results speak for themselves: approximately 70 per cent of LASTVEB graduates transition into employment or self-employment, and 85 per cent of participants in our Skills for Work programme have either started businesses or secured jobs. Female enrolment in male-dominated trades has grown by 23 per cent since the establishment of our dedicated Gender Unit, because an inclusive skills economy is not an aspiration in Lagos; it is a measurable target. And with solar photovoltaic systems now installed across our technical colleges, and the governor’s recent approval for the establishment of additional colleges, we are building not just for today’s workforce, but for tomorrow’s.”

Meanwhile, Head of Development Cooperation, German Embassy, Abuja, Dr Karen Jansen, said across the globe, countries were increasingly recognising that strong, responsive and future-oriented TVET systems were indispensable for preparing young people with the practical and adaptable competencies required to navigate the job market.

Jansen said: “This rapidly evolving LM realities shaped by digitalization, technological innovation, and emerging economic sectors, and as Nigeria continues to increasingly recognise TVET as a strategic driver for addressing youth unemployment, skills mismatch, productivity and economic diversification the conference, therefore, presents an important opportunity to collectively reflect on the reforms, partnerships and investments required to reposition the sector.”

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