By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Nigeria has taken a major step toward transforming its technical and vocational education sector with a new strategic partnership with Singapore’s globally renowned Institute of Technical Education, Education Services, ITEES.

The Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday formalised the collaboration through the signing of an agreement aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training ,TVET,system and aligning it with international best practices.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony linking officials in Abuja and Singapore, with Nigeria represented by the National Board for Technical Education,NBTE, while Singapore was represented by ITE Education Services,ITEES.

The partnership builds on high-level engagements initiated during the official visit of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, to Singapore in 2025, where he held discussions with Singapore’s Minister of Education, Mr. Desmond Lee, and toured the country’s acclaimed ITE campuses.

Further consultations were also held in February this year when the Singapore High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lim Sim Seng, met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja to finalise the agreement.

Under the arrangement, ITEES will support Nigeria with a comprehensive Train-the-Trainer Programme designed to enhance the teaching, technical and assessment capabilities of instructors in technical institutions across the country.

The initiative is expected to equip educators with modern pedagogical tools and industry-relevant training methods that meet global standards.

The agreement also includes a leadership development programme in Singapore for principals and heads of departments from Nigerian technical institutions, aimed at strengthening institutional management and driving reforms within the sector.

In addition, Nigeria will adopt the Global Excellence Model for Skills Training ,GEMSET, an internationally recognised framework that evaluates technical institutions across seven key dimensions of TVET excellence.

Through the model, Nigerian TVET institutions will undergo structured assessments that will guide workshop upgrades, institutional improvements, and the alignment of training systems with global best practices.

Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described Singapore’s technical education system as a global benchmark for countries seeking to develop highly skilled and competitive workforces.

He said the collaboration would accelerate the transformation of Nigeria’s technical education ecosystem by strengthening institutional capacity and equipping educators with cutting-edge teaching and assessment methodologies.

According to him, the initiative is also part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to reposition technical and vocational education as a critical driver of economic growth, job creation and industrial development.

The partnership further supports the National Education, Skills and Research for Innovation,NESRI, agenda of the Federal Ministry of Education and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a globally competitive,
knowledge-driven economy powered by skills, innovation and human capital development.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging strategic international partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s technical education system and equip young Nigerians with globally competitive skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy.