FG to Pay Technical College Students N45,000 Monthly Stipend

The federal government has announced that students enrolled in technical colleges across the country will now receive a monthly stipend of N45,000.

Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), made this announcement on Wednesday during a briefing with journalists in Abuja.

He explained that the policy is designed to accelerate the growth of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector and to boost enrollment at the sub-tertiary education level.

Bugaje further stated that, in addition to the monthly allowance, the government will also cover tuition fees, provide stipends for industry-based supervisors (referred to as “master class” instructors) during industrial training periods, and cover the cost of skills certification.

“This initiative will make technical colleges more appealing to young Nigerians, allowing them to acquire certified skills, gain employment locally, and even explore job opportunities beyond Nigeria’s borders,” said Bugaje.

“What we’re witnessing is a transformation — almost a rebirth or revival — of the TVET sector,” he added.

Bugaje noted that during the colonial era and in the early years following independence, TVET received significant attention. However, since the 1980s, the sector has seen a steady decline.

“As it stands, there are only 129 technical colleges in Nigeria, compared to 15,000 senior secondary schools,” he pointed out.

He revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved a N120 billion grant to fund the new TVET initiative.

The grant, he said, will be distributed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund).

“This N45,000 is not a loan. It’s a grant, and students benefiting from it will not be required to repay. Our goal is to increase enrollment in technical education,” Bugaje emphasized.

To ensure the long-term success of the initiative, Bugaje mentioned that the Minister of Education is advocating for a legislative bill to establish a National Skills Fund under a new Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).

He added that the bill will soon be presented to the National Assembly.

According to the Ministry of Education has been working to revamp its TVET strategy to promote the acquisition of vocational skills.

In Nigeria, polytechnics, monotechnics, and innovation enterprise institutes are at the heart of vocational education at the tertiary level.

At the sub-tertiary level, technical colleges, vocational enterprise institutes, skill training centers, and informal apprenticeship schemes play a key role.

The renewed TVET strategy focuses on hands-on training in areas such as carpentry, ICT, plumbing, construction, agriculture, CNG vehicle conversion, and renewable energy — fields where skilled labor is currently in short supply.

NBTE executive secretary Idris Bugaje.