The Federal Government has inaugurated a National Working Committee (NWC) for WorldSkills Nigeria to drive a coordinated, demand-driven and competency-based Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Wednesday, following Nigeria’s admission as the 89th member of WorldSkills International (WSI).
The committee is chaired by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, with the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, as Vice-Chairman.
Alausa said the development signalled Nigeria’s renewed commitment to repositioning skills development and TVET as key drivers of industrialisation, economic growth and global competitiveness.
He described Nigeria’s membership of WorldSkills International as a significant step towards building a globally competitive workforce and transforming the nation’s TVET landscape.
The minister said Nigeria’s admission into WSI in August 2024 culminated over a decade of strategic engagement, collaboration and alignment with international best practices since 2013.
He noted that while the committee would work towards a national launch, the inauguration of WorldSkills Nigeria opened a new chapter defined by opportunity, competitiveness and national pride.
“Through this platform, our youth will be inspired to choose high-quality skills as a first educational option, industries will gain an agile workforce, and the nation will enjoy increased productivity and innovation,” he said.
Bugaje, who is the Vice-Chairman of the committee, said that Nigeria’s admission into WorldSkills International in November 2024 followed what he described as an audacious journey of over a decade, driven by passion and resilience.
According to him, the commitment of individuals and institutions ensured the eventual payment of membership fees and the successful completion of Nigeria’s application process.
Bugaje thanked committee members for their dedication to skills development in the country.
A committee member, Mrs Yemisi Akinrinade, said WorldSkills, with over 89 member countries and regions, had reached nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, creating measurable global impact.
Akinrinade said as a global organisation, it had set standards for technical and vocational education, skills benchmarking and teachers’ capacity building.
She explained that TVET required strong real-time collaboration among education, industry and the economy to ensure that graduates met labour market demands.
WorldSkills International, founded over 75 years ago, is a global platform for skills excellence that empowers young people to change their communities through skills development.
The 14-member committee includes representatives from government and the private sector, including the President of the Dangote Foundation.
