Nigerian Students In Technical Colleges To Receive N45,000 Monthly Stipend.
In a move to revitalise technical and vocational education, the Nigerian Federal Government has announced that students attending technical colleges across the country will receive a monthly stipend of N45,000. The initiative, disclosed by Prof. Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), aims to make technical education more appealing and accessible to young Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Prof. Bugaje described the stipend as a grant, not a loan, meaning recipients will not be required to repay it. “This is a game-changer for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Nigeria,” he said. “With this, young people will find it more attractive to attend a technical college, acquire skills qualifications, and secure jobs locally and even beyond Nigeria’s borders.”
The initiative is part of a broader effort to reposition the TVET sector, which Prof. Bugaje described as undergoing a “resurrection or rebirth.” He noted that technical education, once a cornerstone of Nigeria’s education system during colonial times and early independence, has seen a significant decline since the 1980s. “We currently have only 129 technical colleges compared to 15,000 senior secondary schools in Nigeria,” he lamented, highlighting the urgent need to restore the sector’s prominence.
The N45,000 monthly stipend is designed to incentivise enrolment in technical colleges, equipping students with practical skills for employment in Nigeria and abroad. Prof. Bugaje emphasised that the grant aims to address the declining interest in technical education and bridge the gap between academic learning and industry-relevant skills.
Education stakeholders have hailed the announcement as a significant step towards empowering Nigerian youth and addressing unemployment. The stipend is expected to ease financial burdens on students, enabling them to focus on acquiring skills in fields such as engineering, construction, and information technology.
The Federal Government’s initiative signals a renewed commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s technical education system, fostering innovation, and preparing young people for global opportunities. Implementation of the stipend programme is set to begin soon, with further details on eligibility and distribution to be announced by the NBTE.