The Honourable Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa Federal Ministry of Education Abuja, Nigeria. RE: A CALL TO RESTRUCTURE AND REBRAND NABTEB AND RECOGNISE NTC/NBC FOR DIRECT ENTRY INTO RELEVANT PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

EDUCATION INFORMATION SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (EISN) Motto: “Let the Son of Nobody Become Somebody Without Knowing Anybody.” 15 September 2026 The Honourable Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa Federal Ministry of Education Abuja, Nigeria. RE: A CALL TO RESTRUCTURE AND REBRAND NABTEB AND RECOGNISE NTC/NBC FOR DIRECT ENTRY INTO RELEVANT PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES Dear Honourable Minister, Sir, we sincerely appreciate your efforts from your first day in office until today. Your administration has introduced several reforms, digital initiatives, technical and vocational programmes, and policies aimed at restructuring Nigerian education. However, our message to you is simple: Nigeria cannot successfully build the future of technical, vocational and digital education without first examining and strengthening its foundation. As Nigeria moves aggressively towards technical and vocational education, we respectfully ask the Federal Government to take another serious look at the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), particularly the National Technical Certificate (NTC) and National Business Certificate (NBC). These qualifications and the technical and vocational structures behind them have existed for decades. Therefore, as the government introduces new technical and vocational initiatives, we should not abandon the Nigerian structures that were created for similar purposes. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE A-LEVEL SYSTEM Sir, my name is LAWAL JAMIU BELLO. I write not only as the Director-General of the Education Information Society of Nigeria (EISN) but also from my experience as one of the education consultants involved in A-Level programmes in Nigeria. From our involvement and discussions concerning A-Level education, our position was never that NTC and NBC should be condemned, disqualified or discarded. There were historical concerns surrounding the recognition and administration of certain NABTEB GCE/advanced-level arrangements, including issues relating to how the programme and its recognition were handled at the time. Those circumstances contributed to difficulties and declining acceptance experienced by NABTEB in certain admission pathways. Those historical administrative issues, however, should not become a permanent reason to disadvantage NTC and NBC holders or abandon the enormous technical and vocational potential within NABTEB. For years, I have raised my voice on this matter with relevant education and admission authorities, calling for reconciliation, restructuring and proper recognition of NTC and NBC. Unfortunately, the fundamental issue remains unresolved. THE NEW DEVELOPMENT MAKES THIS MORE IMPORTANT Sir, with your administration's renewed focus on technical, vocational, digital and skills-based education, we believe this is the right time to revisit the matter. Many of the programmes being introduced today have direct relationships with what NABTEB technical and vocational education was established to achieve. NABTEB candidates are exposed to technical trades, electrical/electronic technology, building and construction, mechanical disciplines, business studies and other practical and vocational areas. Why then should Nigeria create new technical pathways without properly restructuring and strengthening the indigenous technical examination and certification system that already exists? OUR REQUEST: RESTRUCTURE, RECOGNISE AND REBRAND NABTEB We respectfully request that the Federal Ministry of Education bring together NABTEB, JAMB, NUC, universities, polytechnics and other relevant stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive review of the position of NTC and NBC qualifications within Nigeria's tertiary education and admission system. Qualified NTC and NBC holders should have clearly defined progression pathways into relevant programmes, particularly: Engineering; Technical and Vocational Education; Electrical/Electronic Technology; Mechanical and Automobile Technology; Building and Construction; Computer and Software-related programmes; Business and Management-related programmes; and other appropriate technical, vocational and technology-based disciplines. Where additional qualifications, examinations or bridging programmes are academically necessary for Direct Entry, the Federal Government can establish a nationally recognised framework. We are not asking the government to reduce academic standards. We are asking the government to create a clear national progression pathway. IF IT IS OUR PRODUCT, LET US EMBRACE IT Nigeria recognises different international and domestic pathways into higher education. We must therefore ask ourselves: If NABTEB is our Nigerian product, why are we not strengthening and embracing our own product? Why should a Nigerian technical student spend years acquiring practical knowledge and skills only to discover that the qualification has limited progression opportunities within the same Nigerian education system? Technical education should never become an educational dead end. A student who begins with technical or vocational education should have an opportunity to progress from certificate level to diploma, degree and postgraduate education where academically qualified. TECHNICAL EDUCATION IS CLOSE TO THE MASSES Sir, this matter is particularly important to less-privileged Nigerians. Not every Nigerian family can afford expensive alternative A-Level programmes, and not every student will have access to the limited spaces available under newly introduced programmes. Technical colleges and vocational programmes have historically provided opportunities for ordinary Nigerians. Nigeria needs a genuine Plan B for its children. Our young people should be able to study mechanical technology, building, electrical/electronic technology, vocational education, business, computing and other practical disciplines while still seeing a clear pathway towards university education. POLICY MUST LISTEN TO THE STREET Sir, people sitting in offices and committees cannot completely understand what is happening at the grassroots without listening to students, parents, schools, technical colleges, artisans, education consultants and communities. You cannot remain in the office and know everything happening on the street without listening to the street. That is why we continue to raise this matter. When we previously wrote to your office, we initially thought our message had not received attention. However, when we subsequently observed your actions and the developments surrounding technical and vocational education, we realised that our voice had not been ignored. For this, we sincerely appreciate you, sir. Your intervention has encouraged us to present this matter again because we believe the restructuring of NABTEB can complement the broader technical and vocational reforms being introduced by your administration. LET US REBRAND NABTEB TODAY Honourable Minister, NABTEB has survived for decades. Rather than allowing it to become secondary in this new era of technical education, this is the appropriate time to restructure, modernise and rebrand NABTEB. Let the government review the historical challenges. Let NABTEB, JAMB, NUC, universities, polytechnics and other stakeholders reconcile outstanding issues. Let NTC and NBC qualifications have clearly defined progression routes. Let Nigerian universities recognise appropriate NABTEB technical and vocational qualifications for relevant programmes under a nationally agreed framework. Where additional A-Level or advanced technical requirements are necessary for Direct Entry, let Nigeria develop an appropriate pathway around our indigenous technical education system. Let us go back to the root before building another foundation. If Nigeria genuinely wants a technical, vocational, digital and productive generation, then young Nigerians who have already chosen technical education must not be forgotten. Let us restructure NABTEB. Let us rebrand NABTEB. Let us strengthen NTC and NBC. Let us give technical students a pathway from the workshop to the university. Let the son of nobody become somebody without knowing anybody. We respectfully appeal to you, Honourable Minister, to consider and review this proposal. Thank you for your continued service to Nigerian education and for listening to the voices from the grassroots. Yours faithfully, LAWAL JAMIU BELLO Director-General (DG) Education Information Society of Nigeria (EISN) “Let the Son of Nobody Become Somebody Without Knowing Anybody.” COPY TO: 1. The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2. The Leadership, Association/Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities 3. The Chairman/Executive Leadership, National Universities Commission (NUC) 4. The Registrar/Chief Executive, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) 5. The Leadership, Association of Rectors of Nigerian Polytechnics 6. The NABTEB Zonal Coordinator 7. The NABTEB State Coordinator