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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said the ongoing foundational reforms in Nigeria’s education sector are aimed at empowering Nigerian youths and preparing them for global employment opportunities.
Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser (Media & Communications) to the Minister, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.
He said the Minister made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Baroness Smith, UK Minister of State for Skills, on the sidelines of the 2026 Education World Forum in London.
The meeting focused on expanding practical cooperation in skills development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reform, digital learning, and workforce readiness.
According to the statement, the Minister highlighted interventions in TVET, digital skills development, and industry-driven apprenticeship programmes as key initiatives under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning TVET as a major driver of employment, industrial growth, innovation, and national productivity.
“The Federal Ministry of Education is aligning education reforms directly with labour market needs to ensure young Nigerians are better prepared for emerging economic opportunities.
“To this end, priority sectors such as clean energy, healthcare, engineering, digital technology, and artificial intelligence remain central to Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda,” he said.
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The Minister also highlighted expanding collaboration between Nigeria and the United Kingdom involving Federal Technical Colleges, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), IQM, and other key institutions.
“The partnership will support joint curriculum development, staff exchange programmes, accreditation alignment, and targeted skills-matching initiatives,” he added.
In her response, Baroness Smith commended Nigeria’s education reforms and welcomed deeper bilateral cooperation in skills development.
She also pledged to advocate sustained United Kingdom support for the Global Partnership for Education ahead of the September 2026 replenishment campaign.
She said the engagement underscores a deepening Nigeria–UK education partnership and reinforces the Federal Government’s resolve to build a globally competitive skills ecosystem that expands opportunities for young Nigerians and strengthens Nigeria’s position in the global workforce.
Both countries agreed on plans for UK skills institutions to visit Nigeria to co-develop programmes in clean energy, healthcare, engineering, digital technology, and artificial intelligence.
They also advanced discussions on apprenticeship models aimed at better aligning training outcomes with industry demands while maintaining programme quality and appropriate duration.
In addition, both parties prioritised efforts to elevate the status of TVET by strengthening industry recognition and creating clearer career progression pathways for learners, drawing lessons from ongoing reforms under Skills England.
