The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced that Nigeria will partner with the Giessen-Friedberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCOC) in Germany to deploy the expertise of Nigerian Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates to help bridge the skilled manpower gap in Germany.
Alausa made this known in Abuja while receiving a German delegation led by Dr. Matthias Leder, Chief Executive Officer of the Giessen-Friedberg Chamber of Commerce. The visit, according to a statement by the GCOC on Wednesday, marked a major step toward formalising bilateral cooperation on skills development and labour mobility.
“We will now set up a technical working group to draft an MoU with your chamber,” Alausa said. “Our technical schools will serve as the pathway, and you will participate in assessing students both during and after their training. Those deemed fit to travel will go through an agreed process to secure training visas from the German embassy.”
The minister emphasised that the collaboration aligns with the Federal Government’s renewed efforts to revitalise technical colleges nationwide, ensuring Nigerian youths gain employable, globally competitive skills.
Not Brain Drain, But Skill Export
Responding to Leder’s remarks on legal labour migration, Alausa clarified that the initiative should not be viewed as “brain drain” but as the strategic export of Nigerian talent and expertise.
“Nigeria is building a pool of young people who can bridge the skills gap both locally and internationally,” he said. “We’re exporting skills, not losing them.”
Alausa revealed that the first cohort of 250,000 participants under the government’s ongoing TVET programme has already commenced training, with a broader target of one million beneficiaries. He also disclosed that the Federal Government is implementing the Dual Mandate Training Programme across all federal technical colleges free of charge, with a 400% surge in enrolment recorded since the initiative’s launch.
“We have also mobilised World Bank funding to build workshops in all federal and selected state technical colleges,” he added.
Germany Commends Nigeria’s TVET Drive
In his remarks, Dr. Matthias Leder commended Nigeria’s leadership in advancing technical education and reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to strengthening vocational collaboration.
Leder noted that between 2012 and 2018, more than 600 trainers and trainees benefited from German-supported vocational training programmes across Nigerian chambers of commerce and industry.
“Dual Vocational Training provides one of the easiest and most effective solutions to skills acquisition, especially for industrial development,” Leder said.
He disclosed that the Chamber has already selected 18 Nigerian trainees who will undergo German language training before being placed in industries across Germany for a three-year Dual Vocational Training programme.
Strengthening Nigeria’s TVET Framework
TVET has experienced remarkable progress in recent years. The Federal Government recently approved ₦120 billion to expand vocational programmes, targeting 650,000 new trainees in technology, trades, and digital skills over the next two years.
Additionally, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has introduced key reforms to standardise the National Diploma (ND) framework across TVET institutions, enhancing quality assurance and creating clear academic and career progression pathways.
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