By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has paid an official visit to the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) as part of the Federal Government’s strategic efforts to expand and modernize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across Nigeria.
The Minister was received by the President of UDST, Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, alongside other members of the university’s senior leadership.
During the visit, Dr. Alausa toured the University’s renowned Certificate School, a specialized institution focused on competency-based TVET education and internationally accredited technical programmes.
He commended UDST for its strong emphasis on practical training, workplace readiness, and industry-aligned certifications key pillars of Nigeria’s ongoing skills development reforms.
The Minister announced new areas of collaboration between Nigeria and UDST aimed at strengthening TVET delivery.
These include enhanced faculty exchange and train-the-trainer programmes to build Nigeria’s technical teaching workforce, with Nigerian instructors set to undergo advanced training in key technical fields such as welding, plumbing, HVAC, electrical installation, and solar photovoltaic technology.
In a statement by Mrs Folashade Boriowo on Tuesday, the initiative will significantly upgrade Nigeria’s instructional capacity and align it with global standards.
Dr. Alausa also revealed that UDST will support Nigeria in establishing a robust quality assurance framework to ensure that certificates, diplomas, and degrees issued by Nigerian technical colleges and skills centres meet international certification standards. This support will enhance the global recognition and mobility of Nigerian TVET graduates, particularly across Europe and North America.
In addition, Nigeria will partner with UDST’s entrepreneurship, innovation, and incubation centres to strengthen youth enterprise development. Through this collaboration, young Nigerians will benefit from incubation support and innovation programmes that will empower them to become micro-entrepreneurs, small and large-scale business owners, high-growth innovators, and potentially unicorn-level founders.
Alausa stated that the partnership underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to building a skilled, globally competitive, and industry-ready workforce capable of accelerating Nigeria’s economic transformation. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s resolve to modernize the TVET ecosystem, expand opportunities for young people, and align national skills development with international benchmarks.
