Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for stronger recognition of Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a driver of national prosperity, not an alternative path to success. Speaking through Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat at the National TVET Conference 2026 in Victoria Island on the theme “Harnessing TVET as a Pathway to Employment: Building One System for Employability, Inclusion, and Green Growth in Nigeria,” Sanwo-Olu said society has overemphasized certificates while undervaluing skills. “Technical and vocational education should not be seen as an alternative to success, but as a gateway to opportunity and national prosperity,” he said, noting that history shows major innovations were driven by practical knowledge.
He added that TVET provides dignity, productivity, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment by equipping youths with industry-relevant skills. With rapid changes from AI, automation, robotics, renewable energy, and digital transformation, he said Nigeria must prepare young people with technical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills to compete globally. In Lagos, the State Technical and Vocational Education Board serves over 10,000 students annually across five Government Technical Colleges in Engineering, Construction, ICT, and Creative Trades, and placed 3,300 students in industry through SIWES last year. The state now runs 43 accredited courses, 12 new programmes, and a pilot Competency-Based Training initiative in three colleges.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to skills development under the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying Nigeria’s greatest asset is its youthful population and nations that invest in skills will dominate future economies. The Minister of Economic Planning, represented by Dr. Samson Ebimaro, stressed measurable impact and stronger partnerships to close skills gaps and cut unemployment, noting TVET features in the National Development Plan and Agenda 2050. Lagos Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Hon. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun also restated the state’s focus on education reforms that give youths both academic knowledge and employable skills for today’s labour market.
