Repositioning Technical Education for Nigeria’s development

Tosin Kolade
Apr, Wed, 2025

Features

Repositioning Technical Education for Nigeria’s development

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By Sylvester Thompson, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In today’s evolving global economy, the strategic development of a nation’s technical education sector is a cornerstone for industrial growth and socio-economic advancement.

For Nigeria, a country with a youthful population and vast economic potential, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) offers a viable path to economic transformation, job creation, and technological innovation.

Technical education equips individuals with the practical skills and technological capabilities essential for driving industrialisation.

According to Aniefiok Ukomm and Emmanuel Agha in their book ‘An Evaluation of the Role of Technical Education in Nigeria’s Industrial Development’, it is this technological capability that distinguishes a robust economy from a weak one.

Moreover, it serves as the engine that produces the goods and services necessary for national growth and global competitiveness.

Over the years, technical education has assumed increasing significance in Nigeria’s development discourse.

The Federal Government, through the National Policy on Science and Technology Education (S&TE), has articulated its commitment to empowering citizens via skills acquisition, addressing youth unemployment, reducing social vices, and fostering sustainable economic growth.

At the 61st anniversary and the combined 26th to 29th convocation ceremony of Auchi Polytechnic, President Bola Tinubu affirmed that technical and vocational education is vital in resolving Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

He emphasised its importance in the areas of industrialisation, job creation, and technological advancement.

Tinubu further underscored that technical skills are the backbone of the economy, as they stimulate innovation, boost productivity, and generate employment.

Similarly, on November 27, 2024, the former Minister of Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, during a shareholders’ consultative dialogue in Abuja, outlined a new strategic direction focused on strengthening science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and vocational education.

This initiative aligns with the national development agenda to harness youth potential and build a skilled labour force.

In line with this vision, Dr Benjamin Achiatar, President of the Association of Private Polytechnics in Nigeria (APPN), has also stated the transformative potential of technical education in nation-building.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he outlined its benefits across short, medium, and long-term horizons.

According to him, technical education can reduce youth unemployment in the short term.

“This typically refers to within a government’s fiscal year, it does so by equipping young people with practical skills. These skills enable them to find jobs or start their own businesses.

“As a result, technical education fosters entrepreneurship and promotes self-reliance. It also helps to reduce poverty by expanding economic opportunities and improving living standards”, he said.

In the medium term, which covers a period of up to four years, Achiatar stated that technical education encourages innovation.

“It also supports technological advancement. When implemented effectively, it builds a culture of entrepreneurship.

“Additionally, it reduces the country’s dependence on non-renewable resources. This helps to drive sustainable development”.

Albeit these prospects, there remain many hurdles.

Scholars such as Prof. Reko Okoye and Maxwell Arimonu, in their work ‘Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and a Way Forward’, observe that TVET programmes have historically failed to reduce poverty and unemployment due to systemic issues.

These include inadequate funding, obsolete infrastructure, poor staff training and retention, a misaligned curriculum, and the apathy of political leaders.

Expressing same concerns, Olusola Alalade, General Secretary of the APPN, lamented that technical graduates in Nigeria are often undervalued and underutilised.

He noted that although polytechnics were initially modelled after the British system post-independence, the lack of incentives and recognition in both government and industry led to their marginalisation.

Consequently, many industries established in the 1970s and 1980s collapsed due to an inability to harness local technical talent effectively.

Alalade further observed a worrying trend, noting that Nigeria has skipped the crucial phase of industrialisation and moved directly from raw material production to service provision.

As a result, the country now largely markets and distributes manufactured goods from other nations instead of producing them domestically.

Notably, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (2023) reveal that Nigeria’s unemployment rate among youth aged 15–34 stood at over 53 per cent.

This figure reflects the urgency of repositioning technical education to address workforce gaps and catalyse economic development.

Given these challenges, stakeholders agree that a multifaceted strategy is required.

Firstly, they argue that improving remuneration and career pathways for technical educators is essential to attract and retain skilled professionals.

Secondly, they suggest that investing in continuous professional development programmes, particularly those focused on digital technologies and pedagogical innovation, can improve teaching quality and relevance.

Furthermore, partnerships between educational institutions and industry are vital.

These collaborations can align curricula with market needs, provide students with hands-on experience, and ensure that graduates possess industry-relevant skills.

Government intervention is also vital in funding infrastructure, upgrading teaching materials, and implementing comprehensive education reforms.

In conclusion, revitalising technical education in Nigeria is not merely an academic exercise, but a national imperative.

By addressing systemic barriers and fostering collaboration, Nigeria can lay the foundation for a strong technical education system.

All in all, treating technical education as a strategic investment will help cultivate a resilient workforce capable of driving industrial prosperity and sustainable development. (NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

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