- Nigeria and Singapore agree to expand cooperation on TVET and broader education reforms.
- Partnership aims to upgrade Nigerian colleges, boost quality assurance, and introduce new skill-based programs.
- New initiatives will improve access to technical education and connect youth to industry opportunities.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education has announced major progress in its plan to upgrade Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and accelerate national education reforms through deeper international collaboration. The update follows a series of high-level meetings in Singapore led by Minister of Education Maruf Tunji Alausa.
During a bilateral meeting, Minister Alausa and Singapore’s Minister of Education Desmond Lee reaffirmed their long-standing partnership and agreed to establish an expanded framework for cooperation. The new collaboration will go beyond TVET and include broader skill development areas needed for economic growth.
Minister Alausa also visited Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education (ITE), touring its West and Central campuses. He reviewed advanced training facilities across Aeronautics, Engineering, Hospitality, and other technical fields, describing the experience as highly valuable for shaping Nigeria’s TVET reforms.
Further discussions with ITE Education Services (ITEES) focused on renewing the existing MoU with Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education. The renewed partnership will upgrade quality assurance in three Nigerian colleges, strengthen the GEMSET programme, introduce a three-year AI Applications course, expand leadership development, and scale trainer-support programmes in key technical sectors.
The Ministry noted continued progress under the Free Education Initiative for Federal Technical Colleges and select state colleges, where tuition and core learning services are now fully government-funded. The goal is to widen access to practical, skills-oriented education.
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With more than 1.3 million applications to TVET programs, demand for technical skills among youth is rising. The Ministry is working to link trained learners to industry roles or help them build small enterprises through partnerships.
Dr. Alausa said the Singapore visit will lead to stronger programme quality, better infrastructure, and a more competitive TVET ecosystem. The Ministry remains committed to building a modern, globally aligned education and skills development system.
