FG Recommits to Skills Training for Nigerian Youth at London Education Forum
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The federal government has reiterated its plan to equip young Nigerians with employable skills through expanded non-formal education and vocational training programmes.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, made the pledge at the Education World Forum in London during a special plenary session moderated by Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Alausa said the Tinubu administration views non-formal education as a key tool for youth empowerment and job creation, especially for out-of-school children and vulnerable groups.
“What we are doing in Nigeria is because we have a lot of out-of-school children, we have to find a way to quickly get them a kind of non-formal education,” he told the forum.
The minister joined Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra, Rio Grande do Sul Education Secretary Raquel Teixeira, and youth representative Andrea Chakma of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Foundation to discuss how non-formal learning, soft skills, and industry partnerships can improve youth employability.
At the center of Nigeria’s approach is the Accelerated Basic Education Programme, which offers an alternative curriculum aligned with mainstream schooling for learners outside the formal system.
This is complemented by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training initiative, a flagship federal programme that provides tuition-free vocational training, stipends, and start-up support to close skills gaps and encourage entrepreneurship.
Alausa also highlighted the National Policy on Skills Development, which promotes flexible learning pathways combining hands-on training, digital literacy, and vocational skills.
Other ongoing interventions include nationwide mass literacy and adult education programmes, as well as the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education programme, which integrates traditional Quranic schooling with basic and vocational training.
A mandatory entrepreneurship and innovation certification has been embedded across courses at various levels to ensure learners graduate with practical business skills, regardless of their educational pathway.
“The whole goal of what we are doing is to get them the skills, skills for the present and skills for the future,” Alausa said, noting that digital technology training forms a critical part of the strategy.
He also commended the Duke of Edinburgh for visiting Nigeria in November 2025 and acknowledged Nigeria’s active membership in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Foundation.
