Nigeria Showcases Skills-to-Jobs Agenda at UN General Assembly, Highlights TVET Reforms
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to turning skills into jobs as part of efforts to drive sustainable economic growth and reduce unemployment among its youthful population.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this in New York during the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, where he delivered a keynote at the Skills-to-Jobs: Strengthening Workforce Systems for Economic Growth side event. The programme was organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in collaboration with Tech4Dev and Semicolon.
“It was an honour to join global leaders, partners, and innovators in New York to share Nigeria’s vision for translating skills into jobs and sustainable economic growth,” Dr. Alausa said.
TVET at the Heart of Reforms
The minister emphasized that the skills-to-jobs agenda is a top national priority, noting that with more than 70 percent of Nigeria’s 220 million citizens under 30, skills acquisition remains the critical link between potential, jobs, and inclusive growth.
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, education reforms are being driven by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Initiative, designed to provide practical training that leads directly to jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The initiative is structured along three tracks:
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Short-Term Skill Training Centres – offering six-month vocational programmes.
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Vocational Enterprise Institutions – providing 12-month specialized training.
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Technical College Track – running for three years.
Each track is tied to the National Skills Qualification Framework and leads to NABTEB certifications, with students also receiving stipends and starter toolkits.
Progress and Impact
Dr. Alausa highlighted key progress made under the reforms:
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Updated TVET curricula and occupational standards.
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Retraining of 3,600 instructors.
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Upgrading of 38 Federal Technical Colleges.
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Launch of a digital TVET platform with 1.3 million applications received and 960,000 completed.
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1,600 accredited centres onboarded and 58,000 students placed, with a target of 150,000.
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Training of 2,080 Quality Assurance Managers nationwide.
“These are not just statistics; they represent young Nigerians moving from aspiration to opportunity, from skill to job,” he said.
Partnerships for the Future of Work
The minister added that partnerships with the private sector, governments, and global institutions are essential to success, stressing that Nigeria is committed to making skills “the currency of opportunity” in the future of work.
“No young Nigerian should be left behind. We are ensuring that skills translate directly into livelihoods, businesses, and sustainable growth,” Dr. Alausa said.
