The Federal Government has announced plans to support graduates of its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme with business grants and soft loans. However, recent updates have focused on starter packs and outstanding stipends, with no confirmed date for the grants or loans.
Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced in January that trainees who complete their programmes would receive grants to establish businesses. He added that graduates needing more capital could access loans through the Bank of Industry (BOI), at single-digit interest rates.
In February, Blessing Ogwu, National Project Coordinator of the World Bank-supported Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project, said the government was pursuing a BOI partnership to provide soft loans for about 26,000 trainees. She also mentioned starter packs for graduates.
An April report again listed grants, loans, starter packs and certificates among the support expected for graduating Batch A trainees. However, it gave no grant amount, loan limit or disbursement date.
More recent reports have focused on parts of the programme. On November 2, updates indicated that the government was preparing to distribute starter packs and address outstanding stipend payments. They gave no timeline for the promised grants or BOI loans.
The official TVET website continues to list take-off grants and business loans among the support expected for graduates. However, no separate application process or payment schedule has been published for graduating trainees.
What to do
Trainees should complete their training and ensure their attendance, identification and banking details are accurate. Graduates should monitor announcements from the Federal Ministry of Education and the official TVET portal. Avoid anyone asking for money to arrange a grant or loan. Until government publishes who qualifies, how much, and how to apply, treat the grants and loans as a promise, not money you can go and collect at the moment.