The Federal Government has disclosed that nearly 250,000 Nigerians are currently undergoing technical and vocational skills training under its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, as applications for the initiative continue to rise.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an engagement with the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education in Abuja.

Alausa said the programme was being implemented across more than 1,200 accredited training centres nationwide, as the government seeks to equip Nigerians with practical skills to improve employment opportunities, encourage entrepreneurship and address the shortage of skilled workers.

He explained that the initiative formed part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education and make it a more prominent component of the country’s education system.

According to the minister, applications for the latest round of the programme reached nearly 1.4 million within two weeks, surpassing the approximately 1.3 million applications recorded during the first cohort.

He noted that the high number of applications reflected growing interest among Nigerians in acquiring practical skills that could help them secure employment or establish their own businesses.

The programme covers vocational areas such as fashion design, solar photovoltaic installation, electrical installation and plumbing, among other trades considered important to the economy.

Alausa said the government had streamlined the training areas to focus on priority skills that could meet labour market demands and improve the employability of participants.

He added that the initiative was designed to provide trainees with practical experience rather than relying mainly on classroom instruction.

Under the programme’s funding arrangement, participating trainees receive a monthly stipend of ₦30,000, while accredited training centres receive ₦50,000 per student monthly to support instruction, equipment and other training requirements.

The minister explained that the financial support was intended to help centres provide practical, industry-relevant training and ensure participants acquired skills that could translate into sustainable livelihoods.

He also said the government had to limit admissions because the number of applicants exceeded the available funding and capacity of participating training centres.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, Fuad Kayode Laguda, described the engagement with the ministry as an opportunity to strengthen legislative oversight and improve communication regarding the programme.

Laguda said effective access to information about the initiative would help lawmakers monitor its implementation and assess its impact.

The Federal Government says the TVET programme is intended to reduce unemployment, expand opportunities for self-employment and develop a skilled workforce capable of supporting economic growth.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to reposition vocational education as a viable pathway for young Nigerians seeking alternatives to conventional white-collar employment.