Nigerian Government to Prioritize Skills Over Degrees, Says NABTEB Registrar
The Federal Government is shifting its focus from paper qualifications to practical skills, a move that will transform Nigeria’s economic landscape, according to Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB). Dr. Mohammed emphasized that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is key to national development, enabling Nigeria to emulate economic success stories like China, Singapore, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Mohammed made these remarks in Minna after overseeing entrance examinations for approximately 30,000 students seeking admission into technical colleges across the country. He visited Government Technical College, Government Day Science College, and Police Secondary School, Minna, as part of the exercise.
Devaluing Paper Qualifications to Boost Self-Reliance
“The dimension the country is taking now, we are going to devalue paper qualification and focus on what you can do to earn a living,” Dr. Mohammed told reporters. He highlighted the lessons learned from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which underscored the unsustainability of relying solely on white-collar jobs.
Dr. Mohammed stressed the importance of TVET in fostering self-sufficiency. “It is about what can you do? What can you contribute to the society? We don’t need to be 100% dependent on government for us to survive. Upon graduation, I don’t need to wait for the government to offer me a job. I should be able to establish something on my own to do.”
Bridging the Skills Gap for National Growth
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The NABTEB Registrar pointed out that the current gap in Nigeria’s education system is a critical lack of practical skills among its burgeoning number of graduates. He argued that even advanced academic degrees like PhDs and master’s are rendered less valuable if individuals cannot apply their knowledge to create tangible value.
“Through vocational and through technical education, you should be able to repair a vehicle. You should be able to make enough furniture available. When there is new building, you should be able to get them a POP and tiling, and so on and so forth. You should be able to have enough people in all skills, not only on one side,” he explained.
He cited Indonesia as an example, where a mandatory one-year skill training program is integrated into their equivalent of Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), regardless of the graduate’s academic background. This, he noted, ensures a skilled workforce capable of contributing directly to the economy.
A Future Built on Practical Expertise
Dr. Mohammed expressed optimism about Nigeria’s potential to thrive through TVET, even more so than nations like Singapore and Dubai, which have flourished despite being in desert environments, precisely because of their focus on technical and vocational programs. “Nigeria, if we encourage TVET, we will enjoy it more better than any other country in the world,” he affirmed.
He concluded by reiterating that the government’s initiative to enroll young people into technical colleges is a strategic move to bridge the existing skills gap and pave the way for a more self-reliant and industrially developed Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
