Abuja: The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, has unveiled the Nigeria Polytechnic Foundation (NIPOF), an initiative aimed at strengthening technical and vocational education and enhancing innovation in polytechnics. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, Ahmad highlighted the foundation’s role in repositioning Nigeria’s polytechnics as engines of creativity, hubs of technical expertise, and centres of applied research.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organised by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Ahmad remarked that the establishment of NIPOF is timely, as national discussions increasingly focus on skills development, youth employability, and preparing the workforce for future challenges. The Ministry of Education, she noted, remains committed to expanding the capacity of the nation’s technical and vocational education.
The minister emphasized the centrality of polytechnics in producing the skilled manpower required for growth in sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy, digital technology, agriculture, and transportation. Ahmad stated, “Today’s event is not merely the birth of a new institution. It is the beginning of a movement, to reposition our polytechnics as engines of creativity, hubs of technical expertise, and centres of applied research that directly respond to the needs of industry and society.”
Ahmad explained that the foundation is strategically positioned to support programme development, strengthen infrastructure, promote entrepreneurship, reward excellence, and enhance the quality of teaching and learning across polytechnic institutions. She stressed that global emphasis on STEMM, TVET, and applied research puts Nigeria in a position where it must prioritize investment in technical education to remain competitive.
She identified areas where NIPOF could have a significant impact, including expanding industry-oriented training and internships, strengthening linkages with the private sector, supporting capacity-building for lecturers, funding research and prototypes with commercial potential, encouraging female participation in technical fields, and boosting entrepreneurship among students and graduates.
Furthermore, the minister stressed the need to improve the perception and status of technical and vocational education, describing TVET as a strategic pathway to national development rather than a secondary option. She pledged the ministry’s support in ensuring that NIPOF becomes a catalyst for excellence, innovation, and inclusion across the nation’s polytechnics.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Nura Rimi, congratulated NBTE and the NIPOF Council for the visionary initiative. Rimi stated that the foundation’s establishment is in alignment with the Federal Government’s goal of building a highly skilled workforce and deepening collaboration between polytechnics and industry stakeholders.
The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, also highlighted the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s technical education system. He noted that industrialization would remain slow unless polytechnics are better equipped and adequately funded. Bugaje recalled that in 2021, a U.S.-based Nigerian proposed mobilizing modern training equipment from American institutions, which led to the conception of NIPOF after the initial plan to donate to a government agency fell through.
Bugaje emphasized that the minister’s intervention has broadened the foundation’s scope, underscoring the necessity for Nigerian industries to become active partners to ensure polytechnics produce graduates who meet modern manufacturing needs.