Federal Government has announced the establishment of a new federal polytechnic in Abuja, which will be named after President Bola Tinubu.
The development was confirmed by Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, in a letter to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), dated January 9.
The establishment of the polytechnic is part of the government’s initiative to ensure that every state in Nigeria is equipped with a federal polytechnic.
Alausa emphasised that this initiative is aligned with the government’s policy to enhance technological and vocational training across the country.
In the communication, the minister requested the FCT minister to propose suitable locations in Gwarinpa for the temporary and permanent sites of the new institution. A technical team from the Ministry of Education, along with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), is expected to conduct inspections of potential sites.
Furthermore, Alausa mentioned that the government is considering taking over existing tertiary institutions in the FCT, provided they meet the qualifications needed for the new polytechnic.
In a related effort, the NBTE has initiated a foundation aimed at revitalizing polytechnic education in Nigeria. Idris Bugaje, the executive secretary of the NBTE, highlighted the urgent need to tackle the challenges facing polytechnics in the country. He indicated that plans are underway to enhance institutional capacity, foster collaboration with industry, and promote international partnerships.
“Our polytechnic system must be the engine that drives Nigeria’s economic development and industrial growth,” the NBTE executive secretary said.
