The Federal Government has inaugurated the Governing Board of the National Board for Technical Education, ending a period of more than five years during which the agency operated without one, and simultaneously launched a reform agenda to reposition Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a driver of industrialisation and job creation.

The inauguration was conducted on Thursday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described it as a major milestone in implementing President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

Alausa charged the board to fast track reforms that would align technical education with industry needs, modernise curricula, certify skilled artisans and strengthen Nigeria's global competitiveness. He declared, "No nation can achieve meaningful industrialisation without a strong base of technicians, technologists, artisans, fabricators, automation specialists, machine operators and other skilled professionals."

The minister outlined four priorities for the board: providing strategic leadership and effective oversight, accelerating the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning framework, modernising technical education curricula to reflect Industry 4.0 requirements, and ensuring prudent management of public resources.

Alausa directed the board to collaborate with the Industrial Training Fund to advance the Recognition of Prior Learning initiative, which seeks to formally certify the competencies of skilled artisans under the National Skills Qualification Framework. He noted that the initiative would improve employability, expand access to finance and enhance labour mobility across the ECOWAS region.

The minister also ordered a comprehensive curriculum review through Outcome Based Education, requiring programmes to incorporate artificial intelligence, automation, digital technologies, green technologies and advanced manufacturing. He further urged polytechnics to phase out non technical programmes outside their statutory mandate whilst strengthening engineering, technology and applied science offerings.

The Board Chairman, Prof Babatunde L. Salako, pledged the board's commitment to repositioning technical education, stating, "This inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter for technical education in Nigeria. We will work diligently to expand opportunities for young Nigerians to acquire relevant technical skills, promote innovation and nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs and job creators."

Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof Idris M. Bugaje, described the inauguration as historic, assuring the minister that the board would work closely with the Federal Ministry of Education to implement the administration's TVET reform agenda.