The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) have resolved their long-standing mandate dispute, unveiling a new framework that clearly delineates responsibilities for formal and informal skills development in Nigeria.

The agencies announced the development at a joint press conference in Abuja, describing the agreement as a major milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education and bridge the skills gap needed for industrialisation.

Speaking at the briefing, the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said the agreement, endorsed by the National Council on Skills chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, would eliminate years of institutional rivalry and create a unified skills ecosystem.

According to him, the NBTE will focus on regulating technical and vocational education within the formal education system, including polytechnics and other allied institutions, while the ITF will oversee the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), industry-based skills development and informal sector training.

“We are now going to work as one system, serving one government and pursuing the same national objectives. This is a major achievement because the conflict over the regulation of the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework is now over,” Bugaje said.

He added that the collaboration would strengthen industrial attachment programmes by ensuring students receive practical training in industries, noting that the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system must shift from merely training for industry to training with industry.

Bugaje lamented Nigeria’s dependence on foreign skilled workers despite its large unemployed population, citing the engagement of thousands of foreign workers during the construction of the Dangote Refinery.

He said the situation reflected weaknesses in Nigeria’s skills development system and underscored the need for reforms that would enable the country to produce globally competitive artisans and technicians.

According to him, countries such as India and Bangladesh generate billions of dollars annually by exporting skilled labour, adding that Nigeria has the potential to achieve similar results if its skills ecosystem is repositioned.

Director-General of the ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said the agreement also provides clarity on the distinction between formal and informal skills development, ending years of overlapping functions between government agencies.

He explained that the NBTE would continue to regulate formal technical education in polytechnics, monotechnics, technical colleges and related institutions, while the ITF would focus on apprenticeships, artisans, technicians and linking graduates to industry.

“The President has ended the age-long confusion. Formal skills remain under the Ministry of Education through the NBTE, while informal skills development and industry linkage are now clearly the responsibility of the ITF,” he said.

Ogun noted that the ITF would also drive the recognition of prior learning, create a comprehensive database of artisans and technicians across the country, and align their competencies with the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework to improve employability and international competitiveness.

He described the reforms as a key achievement of the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying they would help address unemployment by equipping Nigerians with industry-relevant skills rather than relying solely on academic qualifications.

Providing details of the partnership, Bugaje disclosed that the Secretariat of the National Council on Skills and the WorldSkills Nigeria Secretariat had been transferred to the ITF to strengthen industry participation in skills development.

He also announced the establishment of a WorldSkills Academy in Abuja, where master craftsmen, instructors from technical institutions and other trainers would receive world-class training before transferring knowledge to students and apprentices nationwide.

Responding to questions from journalists, Ogun confirmed that the academy had already been established within the ITF’s Modern Skills Training Centre in Abuja and was undergoing renovation and equipment upgrades to meet international standards ahead of its formal unveiling.

He said the facility would also prepare Nigerian youths for future WorldSkills competitions after the country’s recent admission into the global WorldSkills network.

The two agencies expressed optimism that the collaboration would improve the quality of technical education, strengthen industry partnerships and position Nigeria as a major supplier of skilled manpower both locally and internationally.