FG announces N45,000 monthly stipend for students Nationwide

The Nigerian federal government has announced plans to provide a monthly stipend of N45,000 to students enrolled in technical colleges across the country.

The initiative aims to boost interest and enrollment in technical and vocational education.

Professor Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), revealed this development in an interview with reporters in Abuja.

He explained that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has allocated a N120 billion grant to support this program under the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative. The funds will be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Professor Bugaje lamented the declining interest in technical education over the years and emphasized the urgent need to revive the sector. He highlighted that technical training equips students with valuable skills that open doors to employment both within Nigeria and internationally.

He stated, “With this support, young people will find it more attractive to attend technical colleges, gain skill qualifications, and secure jobs locally as well as beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

Bugaje described the plan as a repositioning of the entire TVET sector, which he referred to as experiencing a “resurrection” or “rebirth.” He noted that during Nigeria’s colonial period and early independence, technical education received significant attention, but interest and funding have drastically declined since the 1980s.

Currently, there are only 129 technical colleges nationwide compared to approximately 15,000 senior secondary schools. The stipend, Bugaje clarified, is a grant, not a loan, meaning students will not be required to pay the money back.

This approach is designed to incentivize more students to pursue technical education.