Accredited Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres in Kano and Jigawa states have threatened to suspend training activities from October 4, 2026, over unresolved payment issues under the Federal Government’s TVET Initiative.
The centres, implementing Cohort II of the programme, said the proposed 65 per cent monthly attendance requirement for determining payments is at the centre of the dispute, arguing that the condition differs from the payment framework contained in their executed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In a statement on Wednesday signed by Ibrahim S. Nuhu on behalf of accredited TVET training centres in Kano State and Engr. Jabir Wada Isa on behalf of participating centres in Jigawa State, the centres said they support biometric attendance monitoring, verification and accountability measures but object to making payments conditional on individual trainees attaining a specified monthly attendance threshold.
They argued that training providers incur full costs for trainers, assessors, facilities, equipment, consumables and other resources, even when trainees fail to report, withdraw from the programme or attend irregularly.
The centres also questioned why providers should bear the financial consequences of trainee absenteeism when recruitment, selection and deployment are handled through processes outside their direct control.
They called for transparent verification and reconciliation of biometric attendance records, particularly where records are disputed or affected by technical challenges, before such data are used to determine payments.
The centres warned that failure to resolve the dispute could disrupt ongoing training and affect young Nigerians currently enrolled in the skills acquisition programme, noting that trainers and assessors have already been engaged and facilities mobilised.
They Warned that breach of Agreement Could Undermine the President’s Commitment to Youth Skills Programme
They appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, to intervene urgently and resolve the dispute, including the payment of outstanding funds in line with the executed MoU.
Other demands include non-retrospective application of any revised payment condition, a mechanism for replacing non-reporting or withdrawn trainees, and regular payment of approved trainee stipends.
The centres said they remain committed to the TVET Initiative and hope the matter will be resolved through dialogue before October 4. However, they warned that participating centres may suspend training if the outstanding issues remain unresolved.