The Federal Government has commenced the training of nearly one million Nigerian youths under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Initiative, a flagship programme aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and reducing unemployment nationwide.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa (CON), announced this during an inspection visit to AFS Vocational Hub, Garki, and Golden Finger Farms and Ranches Ltd, in Abuja.
According to the Minister, over 250,000 youths are currently enrolled in the first cohort across 2,600 training centres nationwide. He described the development as a major milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes job creation and skills development.
Dr. Alausa explained that the Ministry streamlined 86 trades into 28 key sectors, including fashion design, livestock production, plumbing, GSM repair, and modern farming. The programme, he added, features a 90% practical and 10% theoretical curriculum to ensure participants gain hands-on experience.
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He revealed that 1.3 million applications were received, with 960,000 verified through NIN and BVN. Each trainee will receive a ₦22,500 monthly stipend, while training centres will earn ₦45,000 per participant. Graduates will be provided with starter packs and access to Bank of Industry (BOI) single-digit loans to establish small-scale enterprises.
To ensure sustainability, the Minister announced that 5% of TETFund’s annual budget has been dedicated to supporting TVET programmes nationwide.
“Technical and vocational education now stands at the centre of our national development agenda,” Dr. Alausa stated.
