By Abubakar Yunusa
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris M. Bugaje, has called on Nigerian engineers to take an active role in advancing new technologies and technical education.
Speaking at the February general meeting of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Abuja, Professor Bugaje emphasised the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in job creation and industrialisation.
In his presentation titled “NSQF (NQF)-TVET: The Lead Way for Job Creation, Opportunities, and Industrialisation—Engineering Practitioners as the Drivers”, he urged engineers to participate in curriculum development, trainee assessment, and technology integration to keep up with the evolving skills landscape.
Professor Bugaje stressed the need for Nigeria to increase the number of technical colleges and ensure they receive adequate government support.
He highlighted ongoing efforts by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tahir Mamman, to strengthen TVET by providing financial interventions for technical schools, students, and examination bodies.
“We need to sustain that effort so that we can expand the number of technical colleges in Nigeria,” he said.
“Every Higher National Diploma (HND) holder must also obtain a skills qualification certificate. With this, TVET will produce more skilled workers for Nigeria.”
He lamented the reliance on foreign labour for major industrial projects, such as the Dangote refinery, due to a shortage of skilled Nigerian workers.
He urged the government to prioritise TVET investment, describing it as a potential landmark achievement for the administration.
Professor Bugaje also identified inadequate electricity supply as a major barrier to Nigeria’s industrialisation.
Comparing Nigeria’s per capita electricity transmission of less than 30 watts to South Africa’s 270 watts and Egypt’s 400 watts, he called for urgent investment in power generation.
“Nigerian industrialisation will never happen unless we improve electricity supply,” he warned.
“Without electricity, no industries will be formed, and investors cannot rely on expensive standby generators for commercial production.”
He urged both the federal and state governments to allocate at least 15% of their budgets to power generation through conventional and renewable energy sources, ensuring a more sustainable and industrialised future for Nigeria
