The Federal Government has announced plans to directly link trainees and graduates of Technical and Vocational Education and Training programs with employers through a national job-market portal being developed with support from the World Bank.
Minister of Education, Morufu Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television, saying the initiative is designed to ensure that vocational skills training translates into real jobs rather than certificates without employment outcomes.
According to him, the government deliberately embedded employment pathways into the ongoing TVET reforms after previous skills programmes failed to connect trainees with the labour market. He said the new approach is focused on matching skills acquisition with actual demand from manufacturers, recruiters and service providers across the economy.
Alausa explained that the platform will function as a dedicated job marketplace for Nigerians trained under TVET and related skills programmes, rather than a general job-search website. As trainees graduate, their profiles will be uploaded onto the portal, allowing employers to directly identify and recruit skilled Nigerians ready for work.
He said the system is intended to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign technical labour by making it easier for industries to access locally trained technicians and artisans. According to him, manufacturers and labour recruiters will be able to source skilled workers within the country instead of importing technical expertise from abroad, helping to retain value and strengthen domestic productivity.
The minister disclosed that development of the portal is being carried out with World Bank involvement to ensure credibility, sustainability and proper governance. He said procurement processes are being finalized and that the platform will undergo pilot and beta testing before public deployment to avoid the shortcomings that undermined previous initiatives.
He added that the government is taking a cautious approach to rollout, stressing that the focus is on building a functional and durable system rather than rushing it to market. Lessons from past programs, he said, informed the decision to prioritize testing and performance before full-scale launch.
Alausa noted that preparations are already underway to populate the platform once it becomes operational, with existing data on TVET trainees and employers being integrated into the system. He said the government already has a pool of trained youths and is compiling a database of manufacturers and employers to ensure that both sides are active on the platform from day one.
He linked the initiative to Nigeria’s broader industrial and employment challenges, noting that the country has often struggled to fill technical roles locally despite high unemployment. The job-market portal, he said, is designed to close that gap by aligning skills training with real industry needs.
The minister added that the portal complements the broader TVET programme, which targets training one million Nigerians in priority skills areas identified through labour-market analysis. He said the focus is on training in sectors where demand already exists, ensuring that graduates move directly into productive employment.
He also said public awareness of the portal will be handled proactively, noting that previous TVET initiatives attracted strong interest from Nigerians when launched. According to him, the response showed that young people are eager for opportunities that offer clear and credible pathways to work.
Alausa maintained that the initiative reflects a shift in government thinking on skills development and youth employment, stressing that vocational education must deliver measurable economic value. He said training must lead to jobs, and jobs must translate into dignity of work and improved livelihoods across the country.
