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.
News Point Nigeria reports that the centres, which are implementing Cohort II of the programme, said the dispute centres on a proposed 65 per cent monthly attendance threshold being used to determine payments to training providers.
In a statement signed by Ibrahim S. Nuhu for accredited TVET centres in Kano and Engr. Jabir Wada Isa for participating centres in Jigawa, the providers said the proposed condition was inconsistent with the payment framework contained in their executed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The centres said they supported biometric attendance monitoring, verification and accountability but opposed making payments to training providers conditional on individual trainees meeting a specific monthly attendance threshold.
According to them, providers continue to bear the full cost of trainers, assessors, facilities, equipment, consumables and other resources, regardless of whether trainees attend regularly, withdraw from the programme or fail to report.
They also questioned why training providers should bear the financial consequences of trainee absenteeism when recruitment, selection and deployment of beneficiaries are handled through processes outside their control.
The centres called for transparent verification and reconciliation of biometric attendance records, particularly in cases involving disputed records or technical challenges, before such data are used to determine payments.
They warned that failure to resolve the issues could disrupt training and affect young Nigerians currently enrolled in the skills acquisition programme, stressing that trainers and assessors had already been engaged and facilities mobilised.
The centres also warned that a breach of the agreement could undermine President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the youth skills programme.
The providers appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, to intervene and ensure the payment of outstanding funds in line with the executed MoU.
Other demands include the non-retrospective application of any revised payment conditions, a mechanism for replacing trainees who fail to report or withdraw, and regular payment of approved trainee stipends.
The centres said they remained committed to the TVET Initiative and preferred dialogue to resolve the dispute before October 4, but warned that training activities could be suspended if the outstanding issues remained unresolved.
