'How Tinubu's reform in TVET attracted Ugandan govt'

For many years, enrolment figures into Nigeria's Technical Colleges were low.  This was due to the society and parents' apathy towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The Technical Colleges became  science based than a place where students could learn practical training and acquire required skills. It was an annual ritual for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) to lament on the low focus on TVET.

Last year, President Bola Tinubu turned the tables on TVET which led to huge admission seekers into Federal and State Technical Colleges. The President's focus was to make TVET as the anchor for national development. The Federal Science and Technical Colleges were renamed Federal Technical Colleges. Enrolment into Junior Secondary Schools in the colleges were scrapped.

Checks showed that admission seekers into the FTC for the 2025/2026 session soared by 287.76%. A total of 7,546 students enrolled for the TVET examination in 2024 while 29,260 students enrolled for the examination in 2025 after President Tinubu rolled out incentives for TVET students. The incentives included free tuition, payment of N22,500 monthly stipend and start-up package after graduation.

For a successful implementation of the President's initiative, the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), was introduced to technical education for a dual-mode and dual certification a reality through NABTEB assessments.

On Monday, the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB)  begun a five-day visit to Nigeria to understudy the country's TVET architecture.

Chairperson of the Finance, Human Resource & Administration Committee who lead of the Ugandan delegation to NABTEB, Engr. Albert Akovuku, said they specifically choose Nigeria to foster a partnership rooted in excellence and the shared advancement of TVET.

Engr. Akovuku explained that the Uganda goverment, as part of its vision 2040, merged  the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) and the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) to form UVTAB whose mandate include technical education. He said the Uganda's vision 2040 envisioned a transformed economy powered by a skilled and adaptable workforce.

"We have specifically chosen Nigeria for this engagement because your TVET architecture, pioneered and refined by the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), serves as a sophisticated blueprint for our own reforms.

"We recognize NABTEB’s decades-long contribution to Nigeria's economic resilience, a journey that precedes and inspires Uganda’s current transformation.

"Our aspirations are anchored in Uganda’s Vision 2040. We seek to move beyond theory, transitioning toward a digital, industry-led, and competency-based assessment model that empowers our workforce to solve real-world problems."

Engr. Albert Akovuku, expressed optimism that the interactions would culminated to a meaningful exchange of knowledge and the eventual signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

"Such an agreement will not only formalize our collaboration but will serve as a cornerstone for a sustainable, bilateral TVET framework that benefits the youth of both Uganda and Nigeria.

Honorable Minister, we are ready to learn, to share, and to build together."

Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, called on the meeting to come up with a roadmap for a stronger, more integrated, and more impactful TVET assessment partnership between Nigeria and Uganda.

Dr. Mohammed urged UVTAB to explore the possibilities of mutual learning and bilateral cooperation.

He said Africa's development story could not be complete without a strong, well-coordinated, and credible TVET assessment framework, adding that, the coming together of NABTEB and UVTAB was a powerful step in the right direction.

According to him, "This visit carries an extraordinary significance not just for NABTEB and UVTAB as institutions, but for the broader TVET landscape across the African continent.

"Nigeria and Uganda are two great nations united by a shared vision to harness the transformative power of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a catalyst for sustainable economic development, youth empowerment, and social inclusion.

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"This benchmarking visit is a deliberate, strategic engagement of minds, a convergence of purpose, and the beginning of what promises to be a robust and enduring partnership."

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf  Alausa, said the visit reflected shared commitment to strengthening TVET systems across Africa.

Represented by Assistant Director, Technology and Science Education, Mr. Kolawole Osundeyi, the Minister said the Nigeria government has strengthened State Technical Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges (FTCs) through infrastructure upgrades, curriculum modernization, and improved teacher capacity development, thereby enhancing practical skills acquisition.

His words,  "In an era defined by rapid technological change, evolving labour market demands, and increasing global interdependence, collaboration among sister institutions such as UVTAB and NABTEB is both strategic and necessary.

"I commend the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) for this initiative and for choosing NABTEB as a partner in this important exercise.

"It is therefore my expectation that this benchmarking visit will produce actionable outcomes, deepen institutional linkages, and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of TVET in our respective countries."