The Federal Government has inaugurated a ministerial committee to modernise laboratories in federal and state polytechnics across Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee on Tuesday, appointing the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, as chairman. The initiative seeks to phase out obsolete equipment and introduce industrial-grade facilities in 37 polytechnics nationwide.
Dr. Alausa said the second phase of the Skills-G intervention, supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), would strengthen hands-on technical training and provide dual certification for polytechnic graduates, combining National Diploma (ND) or Higher National Diploma (HND) with recognised National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certificates.
“The programme will provide equipment for mechatronics, robotics, renewable energy systems, advanced telecommunications, electronics and automobile engineering,” he said. “Unlike previous interventions that focused on buildings, Skills-G targets laboratory ecosystems to ensure practical skills development.”
Prof. Bugaje said the committee would supervise ongoing interventions in 14 polytechnics, recommend institutions for the third phase in 2026, and monitor upgrades to engineering workshops.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Architect Sonny Echono, confirmed continued funding of the programme, noting that Skills-G is an Israeli-Nigerian partnership valued at 18 billion naira. He highlighted that earlier delays were linked to contract management and the Federal Government’s preference for local content.
The committee’s work is expected to align Nigerian polytechnic training with global engineering standards while ensuring accountability and transparency in the use of intervention funds.
The launch marks a renewed effort by the Federal Government to revitalise technical education and equip polytechnic graduates with skills relevant to Nigeria’s industrial and technological development.
