Inside Nigeria's Vocational Landscape: What's Working, What's Broken and What Needs Urgent Fixing

For decades, Nigeria’s education system has focused heavily on certificates, theories, and paper qualifications. But in recent years, reality has forced a shift; a move toward skills that work in real life, not just on CVs.

Vocational training is finally getting more attention. But the big question is: how well is Nigeria really doing with vocational education? What is working? What is broken? And what must we fix urgently to meet the needs of over 30 million Nigerian youths still waiting for economic opportunity?

Let’s take a closer look.

What’s Working

1. Growing Public Awareness

More Nigerians, especially youths, are beginning to see vocational skills as a viable path. Tailoring, baking, solar installation, barbing, furniture making,these are no longer seen as “low-class jobs,” but as real businesses. The shift in perception is a huge win.

2. Rise of Private Skill Platforms

Platforms like Suwk, Jobberman, and others are stepping in to fill the training gap. These platforms are more flexible, less bureaucratic, and more aligned with what the market actually needs. They’re offering structured courses, digital access, and even linking learners to internships or jobs.

3. Women Taking the Lead

In states like Lagos, Enugu, and Plateau, we’re seeing a rise in female participation in trades; from welding to hairdressing to phone repair. More women are choosing self-employment through hands-on learning, and that’s reshaping household incomes and local economies.

4. Some Government Efforts Are Beginning to Show

Agencies like ITF (Industrial Training Fund), SMEDAN, and some state-level empowerment programs are offering trainings, though not at the needed scale. When well-executed, these interventions change lives; but they remain the exception, not the norm.

What’s Broken

1. Outdated Curriculum and Facilities

Most government-owned vocational centres still use old machines, outdated course content, and weak instruction methods. Learners are being trained for jobs that no longer exist or with tools that don’t reflect today’s realities.

2. Lack of Access for Rural and Low-Income Youth

The majority of formal vocational schools are based in urban centres. But Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is highest in rural areas and underserved regions. Those who need vocational skills the most often don’t have the tools, funding, or even transport to reach these centres.

3. Over-Reliance on Certificates

Instead of measuring competence, many programs still reward attendance and paper certificates. There’s little focus on whether the learner can actually do the work, cut the hair, fix the machine, build the item. This disconnect is costing employers and learners alike.

4. Weak Apprenticeship Ecosystem

Traditional apprenticeship systems (like Igbo-style trade training) used to be strong. But now, they lack structure, protection, and standardisation. Young apprentices often get exploited, and there’s no clear path from learning to earning.

What Needs Urgent Fixing

1. Fund TVET in National and State Budgets

Nigeria needs to treat vocational education the same way it treats roads or electricity; as an infrastructure for national development. Dedicated budget lines, modern training centres, and instructor training should be a top priority.

2. Partner with Platforms Like Suwk

Government and donors must stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Suwk, and others like it, already have working models. They’ve trained thousands. They understand the audience. Public-private partnerships could unlock massive scale, especially for youth in hard-to-reach areas.

3. Shift to Competence-Based Certification

Let’s stop giving certificates for showing up. Let’s start issuing proof of skills: videos of work done, tests passed, products made. Suwk already does this with video submissions and final projects. This is the future.

4. Recognise Skills as National Assets

It’s time for a cultural shift. Let’s teach children that a skilled hand is just as powerful as a university degree. Let’s celebrate tailors, barbers, bakers, and solar technicians; not just lawyers, doctors and bankers.

Where Suwk Stands in All This

At Suwk, we see the cracks in the system clearly and we’re building around them.
We’ve trained over thousands of learners in skills that actually pay. Our courses are designed for low-literacy users, delivered in practical modules, and connected to hands-on apprenticeships. We don’t believe skills should be limited by location, age, or income level.

We believe Nigeria’s future depends not just on classroom education, but on what people can create with their hands. That’s why we’re building tools, partnerships, and learning experiences that meet people where they are and help them move forward.

Vocational training is not just a backup plan. It is the foundation of job creation, entrepreneurship, and dignity of labour. If Nigeria wants to build a strong, inclusive economy, we must invest in practical education and do it now.