• Nigeria opens applications for second cohort of national TVET program

• Training targets skills, offers stipend, covers multiple high-demand sectors

• Strong demand amid labor gaps despite relatively low youth unemployment

Last week, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education opened applications for the second cohort of its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program.

The initiative aims to equip young Nigerians with practical skills to boost employability, entrepreneurship and economic development, the ministry said. Education Minister Maruf Tunji Alausa described it as a “strategic intervention” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

Training lasts between six months and one year and is delivered at accredited centers across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory. Applicants must register via an official portal, providing their National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN). Selected candidates are trained in high-demand sectors including information and communications technology, construction, fashion and cosmetology, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and automotive trades.

The Ministry of Education is partnering with the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism to expand opportunities in the creative industries. Each participant receives a monthly stipend of 22,500 naira (about $16.70), conditional on biometric attendance tracking, according to official sources. A national certification is awarded upon completion.

Demand has been strong. During the first cohort, nearly 1.3 million applications were submitted within 10 days. About 250,000 trainees are currently enrolled across 2,600 centers nationwide, government data show.

The program comes amid structural challenges in the labor market. Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate stood at 6.5% in the second quarter of 2024, down from 8.4% in the previous quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The World Bank estimated the rate at 5.05% in 2024, its lowest level since 1991 and well below the global average of 15.7%.

However, these figures mask deeper weaknesses. In February 2026, the World Bank said human capital gaps could cost Nigeria the equivalent of 111% of future labor income. In 2025, Nigerian students’ scores on standardized tests remained below their 2010 levels, suggesting limited progress in foundational education.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou