By Stella Odueme
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has called for the strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to develop skilled manpower and accelerate agricultural transformation in the country.
The Council made the call at the Nigeria TVET Landscape and Project Presentation Stakeholder Workshop held on September 30, 2026.
Representing the Executive Secretary of ARCN, the Director, TVET and Agricultural Awarding Body, Mr. Husseni Gbogbon Dabban, delivered the Executive Secretary’s welcome address at the workshop.
The Executive Secretary said Nigeria’s agricultural transformation required more than research and innovation, stressing the need for well-trained technicians, technologists, entrepreneurs and other skilled professionals capable of translating knowledge and technologies into practical solutions.
He called for stronger agricultural institutions with emphasis on competency-based training, digital agriculture, mechanisation, agro-processing, biotechnology, climate-smart agriculture, agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
The workshop brought together government institutions, development partners, academia, agricultural colleges and industry stakeholders to identify gaps and opportunities in Nigeria’s TVET landscape and develop practical recommendations for repositioning the sector.
ARCN also stressed the need to strengthen the link between research, innovation, training, extension and commercialisation to ensure that agricultural innovations move from laboratories to farmers, processors, entrepreneurs and other end users.
The Council commended WUSC and CICan for facilitating the engagement, urging stakeholders to focus on practical and solution-oriented discussions that would deliver measurable improvements in skills development, employability, entrepreneurship and agricultural productivity.
ARCN reaffirmed its commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of driving a more productive and sustainable agricultural sector in Nigeria.
The statement was signed by Khadijat O. Ameen, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).