FG, coat of arms
FG Introduces N45,000 Monthly Stipend for Technical College Students to Boost TVET Sector
The Federal Government has introduced a monthly stipend of N45,000 for students enrolled in technical colleges nationwide as part of efforts to revitalize technical and vocational education (TVET).
Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, stating that the initiative aims to increase enrollment and accelerate the development of technical skills in Nigeria.
In addition to the stipend, the government will cover tuition fees, compensate industry-based trainers supervising students during industrial attachments, and fund skill certification costs.
Bugaje explained that the policy is designed to make technical education more appealing, helping graduates secure employment both locally and internationally.
“This marks a revival—or even a rebirth—of TVET in Nigeria,” he said. “While technical education thrived during the colonial and early post-independence eras, it declined sharply from the 1980s. Today, Nigeria has only 129 technical colleges compared to 15,000 senior secondary schools.”
President Bola Tinubu has approved a N120 billion grant to support the initiative, which will be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund). Bugaje clarified that the stipend is non-refundable, emphasizing, “This is a grant, not a loan. We want to incentivize more students to pursue technical education.”
To ensure sustainability, the Minister of Education is spearheading a bill to establish a National Skills Fund under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), which will soon be presented to the National Assembly.
The move aligns with the government’s broader strategy to promote vocational training in high-demand fields such as carpentry, ICT, plumbing, construction, agriculture, CNG vehicle conversion, and renewable energy.
Nigeria’s TVET system includes polytechnics and monotechnics at the tertiary level, while technical colleges, vocational institutes, and apprenticeship programs operate at the sub-tertiary level. The initiative seeks to address the shortage of skilled labor in critical sectors.
About The Author
