Students in tertiary institutions across the country have bared their minds on the free tuition, accommodation, and feeding for students enrolled in technical colleges across the country as well as the monthly N45,000 stipend introduced by the Federal Government. As the government begins implementation of the policy aimed at fast-tracking the development of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector and expandong enrollment at the sub-tertiary level, it remains to be seen whether it will expand similar support to students in other tertiary institutions since the Nigerian student community is diverse and dynamic, CALEB CHIEMERIE OKECHUKWU (ABSU) reports
In a landmark policy move that may redefine Nigeria’s approach to education and human capital development, the Federal Government has announced free tuition, accommodation, and feeding for students enrolled in technical colleges across the country. The announcement, made under the auspices of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration, marks a bold stride in the administration’s ambition to reposition the country’s education sector to serve the nation’s industrial and economic goals more directly.
Additionally, it also announced a monthly N45,000 stipend for technical college students across the country.
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Idris Bugaje, said the new policy aimed to fast-track the development of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector and expand enrollment at the sub-tertiary level.
Bugaje added that, beyond the monthly stipend, the government would also cover teaching fees and pay industry-based supervisors (known as “master class” instructors) where students undertake industrial attachments and finance the cost of skill certification.
“With this, young people will find it more attractive to come to a technical college, acquire skills qualifications, get jobs locally and even beyond the borders of Nigeria,” Bugaje said.
“This way, the whole sector is being repositioned. We are at the moment facing what you may call either a resurrection or a rebirth of TVET.
“During colonial days and the early part of our independence, TVET had received attention. But, since the 1980s, we have been going down the drain.
“That is why the number of technical colleges has dropped to 129 at the moment, compared to 15,000 senior secondary schools in Nigeria.”
Bugaje said Tinubu had allocated a N120 billion grant to support students under the new TVET initiative.
The grant, he said, would be disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“The N45,000 is not a loan, but a grant. Students who enjoy this are not going to pay back. We want to encourage more people to enrol in technical education,” he said.
To sustain and expand the programme, Bugaje said the minister of education is championing a legislative bill to establish a National Skills Fund under a new Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
He said the bill is expected to be presented to the national assembly soon.
Polytechnics, monotechnics, and innovation enterprise institutes are central to vocational education at the tertiary level.
Technical colleges, vocational enterprise institutes, skill training centres, and informal apprenticeship schemes operate at the sub-tertiary level.
The TVET drive is emphasising hands-on skills in carpentry, ICT, plumbing, construction work, agriculture, CNG vehicle conversion, and renewable energy, among other vocations.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students Engagement, Comr. Sunday Asefon, noted that the policy aims to prioritise skill acquisition over the overdependence on academic certificates. He emphasised that the initiative is intended to produce a generation of practically skilled Nigerians who can directly contribute to national development, reduce unemployment, and foster local innovation.
“This policy is not just about giving students free meals or beds. It is about investing in the future builders of Nigeria and artisans, technicians, inventors– who will drive industrialisation and help reduce our dependence on foreign products and expatriate services,” he said.
The Renewed Hope agenda, central to President Tinubu’s governance model, includes educational reform as a key component. By empowering technical students, the administration believes it can foster a workforce that is responsive to Nigeria’s evolving socio-economic demands, particularly in technology, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other technical sectors.
Jubilation in Technical Colleges, resentment in other institutions
While the initiative has been welcomed with enthusiasm by students and staff in technical colleges, the announcement has sparked a wave of criticism, disappointment, and calls for equity from students in other tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
For Agatha Odey, a first-year student of Banking and Finance at the University of Calabar, the announcement was disheartening.
“As a student, I’ll say that if the president approves a monthly stipend and free education for students in technical colleges, students in other tertiary institutions should also be considered. We are all students working hard to build a better future for ourselves and for Nigeria. Singling out a group sends the wrong message,” she said.
She suggested that the government explore turning the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) into a non-repayable monthly allowance for students across tertiary institutions.
“That way, no one feels left behind, and the policy can have a broader impact,” she added.
Jemima Iwegbu, a third-year Dentistry student at David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, echoed similar sentiments.
“It’s not a fair system. This policy gives the impression that the rest of us in universities and health institutions are either unimportant or financially stable, which is far from the truth. Many of us struggle to pay fees, secure accommodation, and feed. We are not asking for luxury– just fairness,” he said.
Legal and logical objections: a case for balanced policy
For some students, the issue goes beyond emotions and enters the realm of logic and policy coherence.
Chibuike Miracle Okoli, a 300-Level Law student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University(UNIZIK), Awka, was skeptical about the rationale given by the government.
“I wonder how free tuition, feeding, and accommodation in technical colleges directly equates to prioritising skills, productivity, and innovation. There is a lot of political rhetoric being thrown around. If the government wants to support students, it should be structured and evidence-based, not favouring one group while ignoring the needs of others,” he said.
Chibuike added a more nuanced take on the president’s responsibilities: “The president’s commitment is to improve citizens’ quality of life. That commitment, when it comes to students, should manifest in the form of grants, soft loans, internship programmes, and empowerment schemes for all. He is not bound to do it in one particular way, but equity should be the guiding principle. You don’t uplift one group by ignoring the others.”
A cautionary note on “Skills Over Certificates”
Another student, a third-year Veterinary Medicine student at the University of Ibadan, who preferred to remain anonymous, offered a critical perspective on the narrative of “skills over certificates.”
“It’s a good move– but a partial one. “This whole argument about ‘prioritising skills over certificates’ is not very solid. Every society needs both skilled workers and certified professionals—doctors, lawyers, engineers, researchers. Even the teachers in technical colleges hold certificates.
“If we continue pushing this false binary, we risk devaluing formal education in a dangerous way. The government needs to balance vocational training with traditional academia rather than frame it as one against the other,” he said.
Supportive voices: a different perspective
However, some students have welcomed the move, seeing it as a step in the right direction.
Sunday Temple Ogechi, a second-year Medicine and Surgery student at Abia State University(ABSU) Uturu, praised the government’s intentions.
“My reaction is that the Federal Government has done well to assist students. Yes, there’s room for more inclusion, but we must also appreciate what has been done so far. This policy has the potential to change lives, and that should not be ignored,” he said.
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Sunday urged fellow students to continue engaging the government constructively.
“Let us suggest how it can be expanded to reach more people,” he added.
Looking ahead: can the policy be broadened?
Education policy experts have weighed in on the development, with many calling for a more inclusive approach. Some suggest that while the technical college initiative is commendable, its success may depend on how it is integrated into the larger educational ecosystem.
Towards a more inclusive future
As the government begins implementation of this policy, the spotlight remains on whether it will expand similar support to students in other tertiary institutions. The Nigerian student community is diverse and dynamic, and while this initiative may solve challenges for one group, it raises fundamental questions about inclusion, fairness, and national unity.
In the end, true development lies not just in building skilled manpower for industry, but in ensuring that every Nigerian youth– regardless of the institution they attend– is given the opportunity to thrive, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s future.
For now, the debate continues, and so does the hope– for a future where no student is left behind.