- By HeadlineNews.News Education Desk
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris M. Bugaje, recently stated:
“Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani has demonstrated a strong commitment to skills development from day one. … The entire polytechnics and universities of technology in Nigeria do not have the sort of facilities found in the skills institutes in Kaduna. The remodeled Panteka market … is the largest informal sector in Africa.”
This high praise raises questions: Is Kaduna truly leading the nation in technical-skills training? Let’s explore the facts.
What NBTE Says
- Three state-run Skills Cities built in Kaduna (Rigachikum, Soba, and Samarun Kataf), capable of certifying thousands in professional trades.
- Panteka Market (38,000 artisans)—now NBTE-certified—called Africa’s largest informal technology hub.
- Kaduna is one of the few states with a functional State Skills Council, centralizing its skills policy.
But Is Kaduna Really Ahead of Everyone?
Federal TVET initiative already recorded over 95,000 applications nationwide—suggesting deep interest and use of federal programs .
The House of Representatives recently approved establishing 270 federal vocational centres across all 774 LGAs, ensuring broad geographic rollout .
Other states—Oyo, Lagos, Abia, Borno, Kebbi—have opened or are renovating federal TVET training centres.
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), with a ₦50 billion budget, supports skills acquisition nationwide, not confined to Kaduna.
How Kaduna’s Efforts Compare
- Aspect Kaduna Federal / Other States
- Multi-Zone Skills Centres 3 “Skills Cities” being operational 8 federal SUVTCs plus planned 270 local centres
- Artisan Hubs Panteka Market—NBTE formalized, 38k artisans Jua Kali and smaller informal hubs across many states; less NBTE-certified
- Certification & Quality Control State Skills Council, NBTE oversight Federal accreditation through NBTE & school-run programmes
- Inclusivity & Access Kaduna polytechnic partnerships; rural inclusion National spread; free tuition and stipends
So, What’s the Verdict?
Kaduna’s achievements are genuinely commendable: a pioneer among Nigerian states in scaling artisan services, equipment investment, and institutional partnerships.
But the claim that Kaduna leads all states is hard to validate: measurement tools, comparative studies, or national surveys have not yet qualified NBTE’s statement .
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is rolling out free TVET training across the country, creating massive opportunities for youth empowerment .
Success is evident, but other states are rising fast, backed by significant federal and ITF investment.
What Needs Clarification
Data behind NBTE’s claim: Did Prof. Bugaje compare facility inventories or student outcomes across states?
Enrollment numbers and post-training outcomes for Kaduna vs. elsewhere.
Impact analysis: E.g., artisan productivity, youth employment in Kaduna versus national averages.
Final Take
Yes, Kaduna is a star in state-led technical education, especially in formalizing artisan trade and building central skills centres. But declaring it the unchallenged national leader is premature—federal efforts are beginning to level the playing field quickly.
The bigger story is positive: Nigeria’s youth now have more, and better-quality, vocational opportunities than at any time in memory. Kaduna deserves applause—but so do the millions gaining from the broader TVET revolution.
Headlinenews.news Special report.
