The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the rollout of the second cohort of its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, following the successful implementation of the first phase, which currently has over 150,000 young Nigerians undergoing skills training across the country.
The development was disclosed during a two-day capacity-building workshop for State Project Monitoring Officers (PMOs) under the TVET programme, held in Abuja.
The workshop, themed: ‘Strengthening Monitoring, Compliance and Programme Delivery for Cohort 2 Implementation,’ was organised by the Federal Ministry of Education to strengthen monitoring systems, enhance transparency, improve compliance, and ensure effective programme delivery ahead of the commencement of Cohort 2.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the National Coordinator of Special Programmes under the Minister of Education, Adebayo Onigbanjo, described the training as a critical step towards consolidating the gains recorded under the TVET initiative and maintaining implementation standards nationwide.
According to him, state PMOs play a pivotal role in monitoring accredited training centres, ensuring compliance with programme guidelines, and guaranteeing that beneficiaries receive quality instruction aligned with national development goals.
‘TVET is one of the key pillars of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and one of the flagship programmes designed to equip Nigerians with practical, industry-relevant and employable skills,’ Onigbanjo said.
He explained that the workshop was designed to ensure that monitoring officers are fully aligned with their responsibilities and equipped with the tools and knowledge required to support training centres effectively.
Onigbanjo noted that participants were being trained on the operation of biometric registration systems deployed across training centres to strengthen data integrity, beneficiary verification, and accountability.
‘Transparency remains at the heart of the TVET initiative. We are deliberately leveraging technology while maintaining human oversight to ensure accountability at every stage of implementation. Every trainee is biometrically registered, and all payments are made directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, thereby eliminating opportunities for abuse and ensuring that support reaches the intended recipients,’ he stated.
He further revealed that the programme currently operates through more than 1,600 accredited training centres located across nearly every local government area in the country, making the role of State PMOs increasingly important in ensuring quality assurance, compliance, and prompt resolution of operational challenges.
Also speaking, the National Project Monitoring Officer for TVET and IDEAS, Odewunmi Olatunji, said the engagement provided an opportunity to assess lessons learnt from the first phase of implementation and prepare stakeholders for a more effective rollout of Cohort 2.
According to him, the workshop creates a platform for direct engagement between national and state-level officers to identify implementation challenges and jointly develop practical solutions.
‘This engagement allows us to receive feedback from officers who are directly involved in implementation at the state level. Their experiences are invaluable in helping us address gaps, improve coordination, and ensure that challenges encountered during the first phase are not repeated in the next cycle,’ Olatunji said.
He added that officials of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), biometric registration service providers, and other implementation partners were participating in the workshop to ensure alignment ahead of the commencement of the second cohort.
Discussions at the workshop focused on funding processes, payments to training centres and beneficiaries, compliance requirements, accreditation procedures, reporting frameworks, and strategies for improving programme performance nationwide.
The planned rollout of Cohort 2 comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to reposition technical and vocational education as a major driver of youth employment, industrialisation, and economic growth.
Speaking recently at the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Conference 2026, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the government was implementing one of the most ambitious TVET reform programmes in Nigeria’s history through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
According to the minister, over 1.3 million Nigerians initiated applications when the TVET portal opened, while more than 963,000 completed their applications, demonstrating unprecedented demand for skills acquisition opportunities.
He disclosed that over 150,000 trainees are currently undergoing training nationwide, while the government has expanded its network to more than 1,600 accredited training centres across the country.
The minister further revealed that more than 4,000 instructors and teachers have been trained in modern pedagogical approaches and industry-specific trades, while over 2,500 Quality Assurance Managers have been deployed to strengthen standards across Federal Technical Colleges, Vocational Enterprise Institutions, and Skills Training Centres.
Alausa noted that the Federal Government has also upgraded more than 38 technical workshops and launched the National Skills Information Centre, while work is ongoing to operationalise a National Job Matching Platform that will directly connect skills acquisition to employment opportunities.
‘Our goal is very clear: Every TVET graduate should possess skills that are relevant, marketable, certified, and linked to economic opportunities,’ he said.
He stressed that the next phase of reforms would focus on scaling quality, deepening industry participation, strengthening labour market linkages, and ensuring sustainable financing for skills development.
The minister added that the future economy would require expertise in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Automation, Renewable Energy, Cybersecurity, Precision Agriculture, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Entrepreneurship, noting that the government is determined to build a workforce capable of driving innovation and national development.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of supporting industrial growth, entrepreneurship, productivity, and economic prosperity, while ensuring that quality assurance, accountability, and effective monitoring remain central to the success of the TVET programme.