Fed Govt to establish 24 skills, innovative centres across country

The Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is set to establish over 24 skills and innovation centres across the country to enable the citizens gain their potential and boosting productivity.

Education Minister, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced this when he visited the Innov8 Hub yesterday in Abuja accompanied by critical stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of TETfund, Sonny Echono.

Innov8 is a focal point for Innovation Start-up Incubation, Technology Transfer, Knowledge and Skills Impartation, Prototype Development and Fabrication.

TETFund is currently partnering Innov8 Hub for practical training and mentorship for Nigerian youths and academics to produce employable graduates and boost research.

Mamman said the plan to provide 24 skills centres across the country was aimed at giving equal opportunities to all Nigerian children wherever they are.

The minister hailed TETFund and the Innov8 Hub for supplying the learners and the researchers from colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities with the platform to undertake practical impactful research.

He said: “Now, what I see here is enough to provide the knowledge incubation to take Nigeria to the highest level.

“What I have seen here is a place that gives hope to the young ones who have the ideas, who have a disposition to acquire basic skills that they need to move on and have a decent livelihood.

“What I have seen here is a major source of inspiration, and we are going to work with the sector, as they are already doing with TETFund.

“We want to be grateful to TETFund for this relationship. This place is owned by a private person but working closely with one of the government agencies in the education sector that is supplying the learners and the researchers from colleges of education, polytechnics, and universities to come here and undertake very practical impactful research.”

Mamman said off-takers were missing because they were not doing their part.

The minister promised that the government would bridge the gap between researchers and the industries.

He said: “I’m going to be the chief advocate in this regard. I’m going to bring in some of the big entrepreneurs to come and see this place and also ensure that some of our people in relevant ministry positions come here and see what this place is doing and the potential it provides for this country.

“We will also train our students and give them skills. We are going to work together to generate a lot of young Nigerians who are out there from the internally displaced persons’ (IDPs’) camps and everywhere else to give them the necessary training.”