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The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, has sought the support of polytechnic rectors in its quest to revitalize technical education in the country.
He spoke at the 162 Regular meeting of the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COHEADS), which attracted rectors of federal, state and private polytechnics and colleges of technology and hosted by Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
Bugaje was represented by the acting Director, South West Zone of NBTE, Dr. John Onyebuchi, said the board has introduced reforms to boost technical education and promote quality assurance in the sector.
He commended the COHEADS for their unwavering commitment to strengthening quality assurance and advancing the TVET agenda in the country.
The NBTE boss also encouraged TVET institutions to embrace these reforms with dedication, professionalism, and a shared vision of excellence.
His words: “Together, we can build a technical education system that is globally competitive, responsive to industry needs, and capable of producing the skilled workforce required for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
“Your support will directly contribute to revitalising Nigeria’s technical education system and ensuring that our nation remains competitive in the global economy. Institutions are also being encouraged to adopt innovative teaching methodologies and expand the use of digital learning platforms to improve access and effectiveness.
“The Board has equally strengthened collaboration with industry through various partnerships that support curriculum development, industrial attachments, equipment provision, staff capacity building, and workplace-based learning. Such partnerships ensure that graduates possess skills that are relevant to current labour market needs and contribute meaningfully to national productivity.”
Bugaje stated that in recent years, the Board undertook several strategic reforms to reposition the TVET sector to meet both national aspirations and global best practices.
The Chairman of COHEADS, Dr. Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi, said the gathering of rectors comes at a critical period in the evolution of polytechnic education in Nigeria and that the demands of the modern economy require institutions that are innovative, industry-driven, technologically responsive, and capable of producing graduates equipped with practical competencies for national and global competitiveness.
He stressed: ”As leaders of our respective institutions, we carry the collective responsibility of ensuring that our polytechnics and colleges of technology remain at the forefront of skills development, innovation, and socioeconomic transformation.
“This meeting provides us with an invaluable opportunity to review developments within the sector, assess emerging challenges, share best practices, and collectively chart strategies for strengthening technical and vocational education in Nigeria. Our deliberations will focus on issues that impact institutional growth, quality assurance, funding, infrastructure development, staff capacity building, digital transformation, research and innovation, as well as stronger collaboration with industry and regulatory agencies.”
Abdullahi said he is encouraged by the growing recognition of the strategic role of polytechnic education in driving industrialization, technological advancement, and economic diversification.
He however noted that much remains to be done and tasked the rectors to continue to advocate for policies that enhance the attractiveness, relevance, and sustainability of their institutions while ensuring that graduates of the polytechnic system enjoy equal opportunities to contribute meaningfully to national development.
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The chairman urged his colleagues to leverage on COHEADS collective expertise and experience to develop practical solutions that will strengthen their institutions and positively impact the future of technical education in the country.
To reposition COHEADS roles in shaping TVET education, Abdullahi said the meeting will discuss challenges affecting polytechnic education in the country and strategies for sector-wide improvement, funding, quality assurance, and policy issues affecting technical and vocational education institutions, noting,”these are to be regularly identified as major concerns of COHEADS.”
Other are national and international collaborations and partnerships, participation in global polytechnic and technical education conferences such as Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics (ATUPA), strengthening cooperation with professional and academic bodies, such as engineering and technology education associations and implementation of the NBTE “One Polytechnic, One Product (1P-1P)” initiative, aimed at promoting innovation, product development, and self-reliance in Nigerian polytechnics.
In his remarks, YABATECH Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul described the hosting of the COHEADS meeting as a privilege for Nigeria’s foremost institution of technical and technological education.
Abdul explained that since its establishment in 1947, YABATECH has remained committed to producing skilled, innovative and industry-ready graduates capable of driving Nigeria’s technological and economic advancement.
He observed that the meeting is being held at a critical period when institutions must collectively respond to emerging challenges, including digital transformation, industry relevance and the demands of a knowledge-based economy.
Abdul stressed that the time had come for institutions to regard one another as collaborators rather than competitors, urging members of COHEADS to strengthen local partnerships, jointly organise conferences and research exhibitions, share best practices and develop collective solutions to national challenges.
According to him, Nigerian institutions have continued to pursue international collaborations, yet greater benefits could be realised through stronger cooperation among local institutions.
He reaffirmed YABATECH’s commitment to producing graduates who are technically competent, entrepreneurially minded and globally competitive, while calling on stakeholders to collectively address concerns about graduate employability through deliberate reforms in technical education.
The Chairman, Governing Council of YABATECH, Prof. Funso Isolaowa Afolabi, called on heads of Nigeria’s polytechnics and colleges of technology to deepen collaboration, embrace innovation and strengthen institutional governance as critical steps towards repositioning technical and vocational education for national development.
Welcoming participants from across the country on behalf of the council, management, academic board, staff, students and the entire YABATECH community, Afolabi described the gathering as a platform for dialogue, policy formulation, collaboration and the exchange of innovative ideas among institutional leaders committed to advancing technical education in Nigeria.
According to him, the nation’s tertiary technical education sector is currently confronted with numerous challenges, including funding constraints, rapid technological advancement, quality assurance concerns, graduate employability and the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, stressing that only collective action and stronger institutional partnerships can effectively address these realities.
Prof. Afolabi commended the growing call for greater collaboration among Nigerian institutions, noting that while many institutions actively pursue international partnerships, equal attention should be given to building robust local collaborations capable of driving research, innovation, knowledge sharing and sustainable national development.
