The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced that the Federal Government will provide a six-month free skills training program for Nigerians to help service industries and address the reported two million job vacancies in the country, as identified by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to Dr. Alausa, there are currently 150,000 job openings in artificial intelligence and machine learning, around 120,000 vacancies in cloud computing, and approximately 60,000 vacancies worldwide in natural language processing.
Additionally, he stated that the government is working towards integrating 10 million out-of-school children into the educational system while also ensuring the education of an extra one million girls.
Speaking at the third edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Session in Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Alausa revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved an initial N120 billion to support students’ entrepreneurial initiatives.
He said: “Based on UNESCO data, we currently have 650,000 vacancies in software development methodologies, about 280,000 in cybersecurity, and around 160,000 in IT automation. When combined, this brings the total number of job vacancies to nearly two million.
“To address this, our Digital Training Academy (DTA) is partnering with trainers who will offer six-month training programs to young engineers to equip them with the necessary skills.”
Dr. Alausa highlighted that the government is implementing measures to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education to align with the nation’s workforce demands. He emphasized that the Digital Training Academy will provide students with industry-relevant skills.
He further explained: “As a government, we will cover the cost of their internet services and pay for their professional certifications, including Cisco certification, End of Career certification, and Google certification.”
He underscored that this initiative aims to equip Nigerians with essential digital skills, making them competitive on the global stage. The training program is set to be launched by June 2025.
Regarding vocational and technical education in schools, the minister shared that President Tinubu has also approved an N120 billion startup fund to enhance students’ entrepreneurial skills.
Dr. Alausa stated that the ministry is prioritizing technical education by providing hands-on training for artisans. He mentioned that a dual-mode training system would be introduced, allowing students to spend three days in school, one day in large-scale practical training, and another day in workshops.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to enhancing the education sector, the minister emphasized that efforts are being made to expand access, improve quality, and strengthen foundational learning systems.
He stated: “Between now and 2027, we plan to reconstruct 195,000 classrooms across the nation. In terms of infrastructure development, we will raise 195,000 classrooms, install 28,000 toilets, and provide 22,900 boreholes in various schools nationwide.
“We will also construct around 7,000 new classrooms and supply learning materials, including 103 million textbooks.”
Dr. Alausa further disclosed that President Tinubu has approved N40 billion for the completion of the uncompleted National Library, aimed at bolstering academic and research activities.
Additionally, he revealed that the ministry has established key committees to review the national education policy, national language policy, and the national almajiri policy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Alausa criticized Nigerian lawmakers for contributing to the proliferation of tertiary institutions in the country. He pointed out that with nearly 200 pending bills in the National Assembly proposing the creation of new universities, the system is at risk of being overstretched.
Speaking at the briefing, he remarked: “We need to halt this trend. The president is under immense pressure, and we must acknowledge this.
“Lawmakers want to demonstrate that they are actively working, and we recognize their efforts. However, the reality is that we already have adequate institutions and opportunities for students seeking university education.
“Despite the number of universities, many institutions lack the capacity to admit students. Rather than creating more universities, we should focus on expanding existing ones to offer more practical and market-relevant courses.”
He noted that Nigeria currently has 64 federal universities, 67 state universities, and 147 private universities.
Analyzing student enrollment, he stated: “When considering the total number of undergraduate students, private universities account for just 7.5% of total enrollments. The total undergraduate enrollment across all universities stands at approximately 875,000, which is relatively low.
“Some universities have fewer than 1,000 undergraduate students, yet there is continuous pressure to establish more universities. This needs to stop.”
He emphasized that the growth in university enrollment does not align with the rising number of institutions, necessitating an evaluation of the capacity of existing universities.
Addressing the issue of specialized universities, the minister urged such institutions to adhere to their original mandates.
He pointed out the need to scale down non-technical courses in specialized universities and instead shift them to conventional institutions.
Regarding speculations about scrapping the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Dr. Alausa clarified that the education tax fund will remain operational indefinitely, countering previous discussions about its discontinuation by 2030.
He asserted: “Our priority now is to expand resources for infrastructure development, build engineering workshops, and establish modern laboratories within universities.”
He also emphasized the importance of hiring internationally competent lecturers to elevate the quality of education and enhance Nigeria’s academic reputation.
Discussing the education tax fund, he stated: “There have been discussions about phasing out the education tax fund by 2030 as part of the tax reform agenda. However, I can confidently report that TETFund will continue indefinitely.
“The tax reform council and committee will present their recommendations to the National Assembly, but the education tax fund will remain in place to support academic institutions.”
Dr. Alausa concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to revitalizing the education sector through strategic reforms, infrastructural investments, and policies aimed at improving the quality of education in Nigeria.
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