In a bold move to boost technical and vocational education across the country, the Federal Government of Nigeria has introduced a new initiative that provides students in technical colleges with a monthly stipend of ₦45,000. This development was announced by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Bugaje, during a media briefing in Abuja.
Professor Bugaje disclosed that the stipend is part of the broader Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) policy, which is being funded through a ₦120 billion education grant provided under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The grant will be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and is aimed at revitalizing interest in technical and vocational learning nationwide.
According to Bugaje, technical education in Nigeria has seen a significant decline in both interest and institutional support since the 1980s. He emphasized the importance of reversing this trend by incentivizing enrollment and reshaping public perception of technical training.
“With this stipend, we aim to make technical colleges more attractive to young Nigerians,” he said. “Graduates of these institutions will not only earn National Skills Qualifications but will also be better positioned to secure employment locally and internationally.”
He described the current efforts as a renaissance in technical education, highlighting how vocational education enjoyed prominence during the colonial era and the early years of independence. However, he lamented the decline in recent decades, noting that there are currently only 129 technical colleges compared to over 15,000 senior secondary schools across the country.
Bugaje was quick to clarify that the ₦45,000 monthly payment is a grant and not a loan, stressing that beneficiaries will not be required to repay the funds. “This is not a loan scheme. It’s a non-repayable grant aimed at drawing more youths into technical and vocational studies,” he reiterated.
The stipend, according to him, forms a critical part of the government’s renewed focus on skill acquisition and employment readiness, which aligns with national development goals.
