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.
Ahmad, who was speaking at the launch in Abuja on Wednesday said the Foundation would reposition Nigeria’s polytechnics as engines of creativity, hubs of technical expertise, and centres of applied research.
The event was organised by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
She said the establishment of NIPOF came at a critical time when national discussions were focused on skills development, youth employability and preparing the workforce for the future.
The Minister said the Ministry of Education remained committed to expanding the capacity of the nation’s technical and vocational education.
She explained that polytechnics are central to producing the skilled manpower required to drive growth in manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy, digital technology, agriculture, and transportation.
“Today’s event is not merely the birth of a new institution.
“It is the beginning of a movement, 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.
“The launch of NIPOF comes at a pivotal moment in our national conversation on skills development, youth employability, and the future of work,” she said.
Ahmad explained that the foundation was strategically positioned to support programme development, strengthen infrastructure, promote entrepreneurship, reward excellence and enhance the quality of teaching and learning across polytechnic institutions.
She added that the global emphasis on STEMM, TVET and applied research placed Nigeria at a point where it must prioritise investment in technical education to remain competitive.
She listed areas where NIPOF could make major impact to include expanding industry-oriented training and internships, and strengthening linkages with the private sector..
Other areas she said were supporting capacity-building for lecturers, funding research and prototypes with commercial potential, as well as encouraging female participation in technical fields and boosting entrepreneurship among students and graduates.
The minister also stressed the importance of improving the perception and status of technical and vocational education, describing TVET as a strategic pathway to national development,” rather than a second option.
She pledged the ministry’s support in ensuring that NIPOF became a catalyst for excellence, innovation and inclusion across the nation’s polytechnics.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Nura Rimi, congratulated NBTE and the NIPOF Council for the visionary and timely initiative.
Rimi said the establishment of the Foundation aligned strongly with the federal government’s goal of building a highly skilled workforce and deepening collaboration between polytechnics and industry stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stressed the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s technical education system.
Bugaje explained that industrialisation would remain slow unless polytechnics were better equipped and adequately funded.
Explaining how NIPOF was conceived, he recalled that in 2021, a U.S.-based Nigerian, had proposed mobilising modern training equipment from American institutions where such technology had become obsolete.
He said the NBTE had made arrangements to ship the equipment but the donating institution later declined, insisting that it could not donate to a Nigerian government agency.
“That was when we were advised to create a non-governmental platform. So we thought: why not a Nigerian Polytechnic Foundation? It will serve as the platform to seek equipment, training and other forms of support for our polytechnics,” he explained.
He, however, said the Minister’s intervention had now broadened the Foundation’s scope, emphasising that Nigerian industries must become active partners if polytechnics would produce graduates who meet modern manufacturing needs.
He urged the Foundation’s board of trustees to immediately reach out to major industrial players for collaboration.
