FG Sets Aside N120 Billion to Pay Technical College Students N45,000 Monthly, Boost TVET Enrollment

In a landmark policy shift, the Nigerian Federal Government will pay N45,000 monthly to students enrolled in technical colleges nationwide, aiming to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a preferred educational path. Prof. Idris Bugaje, NBTE Executive Secretary, announced this in Abuja, highlighting it as a major achievement in President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

Bugaje outlined that the government’s support package includes payment of school fees, stipends for industry mentors (master class instructors), and funding for skill certification, making technical education more accessible and attractive. “With this, young people will find it more attractive to come to a technical college, acquire skills qualifications, get jobs locally and even beyond the borders of Nigeria,” he said.

He described the current moment as a “resurrection or a rebirth of TVET,” recalling that the sector was well-supported during colonial times but declined after the 1980s. The government has allocated N120 billion to fund this initiative through NELFUND, with the stipend being a grant, not a loan.

Furthermore, the Education Minister is spearheading a bill to establish a National Skills Fund under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework to provide continuous funding for TVET institutions, including private colleges.