The Federal Government is on track to train over 70,000 Nigerian youths in vocational and technical skills through the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme. The initiative, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with World Bank support, aims to reduce youth unemployment by providing industry-relevant skills and improving access to technical education.
Programme Expansion from Pilot to Nationwide Initiative
Mrs. Blessing Ogwu, National Project Coordinator of the IDEAS Project, announced on Monday during a three-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja that the programme has expanded rapidly. The pilot phase involved only 11 Training Service Providers (TSPs) and graduated 1,050 beneficiaries. Subsequently, the programme scaled up: 90 TSPs produced over 14,000 graduates, and another 217 providers trained over 22,000 participants. The ongoing third cohort now engages more than 400 TSPs across Nigeria and is projected to produce over 40,000 graduates.
Ogwu stated: "We started gradually with a pilot involving just 11 Training Service Providers that graduated 1,050 trainees. Today, we are in Cohort Three and expect to have trained over 70,000 beneficiaries."
Strict Monitoring and Employment Targets for Providers
The government has introduced stringent quality assurance measures. TSPs are selected through a comprehensive process including submission of expressions of interest, evaluation of technical proposals, and physical inspection of facilities. To ensure accountability and improve employment outcomes, providers are eligible for final payment only after demonstrating that 30 to 40 percent of their trainees have secured paid employment or established their own businesses.
FG Urges Youths to Embrace Technical Careers
Ogwu noted that vocational and technical education is becoming increasingly attractive to young Nigerians, who see practical skills as sustainable alternatives to traditional white-collar jobs. She encouraged beneficiaries to take advantage of the programme, stressing that technical careers offer strong income-earning opportunities and pathways to entrepreneurship and long-term economic independence.
The IDEAS-TVET programme is part of broader federal efforts to address unemployment, improve workforce competitiveness, and bridge Nigeria's skills gap through market-driven training.
