Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the mismatch between education and the needs of the labour market is responsible for the country’s unemployment and underemployment.

Sanwo-Olu, while yesterday during the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Conference, themed “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building One System for Employability, Inclusion, and Green Growth in Nigeria” in Lagos, said that as industries evolve and technology transforms the workplace, stakeholders must ensure that the education system produces not only job seekers, but job creators, innovators, and problem-solvers.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said: “This is where Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) becomes indispensable. TVET is not a second choice. It is a smart choice. It is a pathway to dignity, productivity, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment. It equips young people with practical skills that are relevant to industry and provides them with the tools to contribute meaningfully to national development.”

In his keynote address at the event, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the conference is both timely and strategic.

“Every year, approximately five million young Nigerians enter the labour market seeking meaningful employment opportunities. Yet, unemployment and underemployment remain significant challenges, driven largely by a mismatch between available skills and labour market demands.

“This demographic reality presents us with two possibilities. It can become a burden or Nigeria’s greatest economic advantage. The choice depends on how effectively we equip our young people with relevant skills,” Alausa stated.

He noted that the conference is a defining moment in the nation’s history when the future of work is being reshaped by technological innovation, digital transformation, Artificial intelligence, automation, climate adaptation, and changing global production systems

Meanwhile, in their goodwill messages, the Consul General of Germany, Daniel Krull; Consul General of France, Laurent Favier; Consul General of Switzerland, Conny Camenzind, and Head of Cooperation at the European Union (EU) delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, spoke about the importance of technical and vocational education and its role in a nation’s development.

They also spoke on why they supported TVET programmes and projects in Nigeria, including the conference.