By JUMOKE OLAITAN

The Federal Government and the United Kingdom have strengthened their partnership on skills development aimed at preparing Nigerian youths for employment opportunities in both local and global labour markets.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during a bilateral meeting with Baroness Smith, UK’s Minister of State for Skills on the sidelines of the Education World Forum 2026 in London.

This is contained in a statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Ikharo Attah on Saturday in Abuja.

According to Alausa, the meeting focused on expanding cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), digital skills development, apprenticeship programmes and workforce readiness.

He said the partnership aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to equip young Nigerians with practical skills required in a rapidly changing global economy.

“The Federal Ministry of Education is repositioning TVET as a key driver of employment, industrial growth, innovation and national productivity.

“Our reforms aligned with labour market needs to ensure young Nigerians acquire relevant skills for emerging economic opportunities,” he said.

Alausa identified clean energy, healthcare, engineering, digital technology and artificial intelligence as priority sectors under the government’s skills development agenda.

He said Nigeria was implementing a modern skills framework anchored on quality assurance, stronger industry participation, internationally recognised accreditation and structured apprenticeship pathways.

The minister added that collaboration between Nigeria and the UK would involve Federal Technical Colleges, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and other relevant institutions.

According to him, the partnership will support curriculum development, staff exchange programmes, accreditation alignment and skills-matching initiatives.

He said both countries had agreed on plans for UK skills institutions to visit Nigeria to jointly develop programmes in clean energy, healthcare, engineering, digital technology and artificial intelligence.

The minister said discussions also covered apprenticeship models designed to better align training outcomes with industry demand while maintaining quality standards.

He noted that both countries were committed to improving the perception of TVET by strengthening industry recognition and creating clearer career progression pathways for learners.

On education financing, Alausa called for continued UK support for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2026–2030 Replenishment Campaign.

He said Nigeria would co-host the campaign with Italy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2026.

Responding, Smith commended Nigeria’s ongoing education reforms and expressed support for deeper bilateral cooperation in skills development.

She also pledged sustained UK support for the GPE replenishment campaign ahead of its launch in September. (NAN)