FG Moves to Bridge Skills Gap with N20bn Engineering Upgrade

The Federal Government has allocated N20bn for the upgrade of engineering workshops in selected universities across the country as part of a special high-impact intervention project aimed at repositioning engineering and technology education.

The project, implemented in collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical competence among engineering and technology graduates, thereby enhancing their employability and Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global technology landscape.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Ministerial Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation Committee for special high-impact intervention project held in Abuja on Monday.

The committee, headed by the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ali Rabiu, is tasked with monitoring the rehabilitation and equipping of engineering and technology workshops, ensuring compliance with approved standards, and recommending new workshop construction where necessary.

Alausa explained that the intervention would provide modern workshops, advanced laboratories, cutting-edge equipment, and industry-relevant training environments capable of producing graduates who can design, fabricate, test, innovate, and industrialise solutions.

“For too long, concerns have been raised about the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical competence among engineering and technology graduates.

“These gaps have limited graduate employability, weakened industrial confidence, and constrained Nigeria’s ability to compete in a fast-evolving global technology landscape.

“This TETFund Special Impact Intervention Project has therefore been deliberately designed to address these gaps through modern workshops, advanced laboratories, cutting-edge equipment, and industrial-relevant training environments capable of producing graduates who can design, fabricate, test, innovate, and industrialize solutions,” he said.

The minister listed institutions selected for the first tranche of the intervention, including Federal Universities of Technology in Akure, Owerri, and Minna, among others, as well as selected conventional and state universities.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the intervention as strategic to Nigeria’s aspirations for industrialisation, innovation, and sustainable economic growth, stressing that effective implementation, transparency, and accountability were critical to its success.

On his part, TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc Sonny Echono, commended the initiative, acknowledging the role of the President and the National Assembly in mandating efforts to restore Nigerian universities to global competitiveness.
He expressed confidence that the committee would help identify needs, specify priorities, monitor implementation, and ensure prudent utilisation of allocated funds.