The Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the full enforcement of biometric attendance verification across all centres participating in the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme, in a move aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and effective service delivery.
The enforcement took effect from February 1, 2026, according to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry.
The Ministry said the decision follows a circular issued in December 2025, which directed all TVET training centres nationwide to procure and deploy biometric attendance systems for real-time monitoring of trainees. It stressed that biometric verification is now the only approved method for validating attendance under the programme.
“The enforcement, which took effect from 1 February 2026, follows a circular issued in December 2025 directing all TVET Training Centres to procure and deploy biometric attendance systems for real-time monitoring. The Ministry states unequivocally that biometric verification is now the sole approved method for validating attendance under the TVET Programme.
“Consequently, all payments to Training Centres and monthly stipends to trainees are now processed strictly based on verified biometric attendance records. Any Training Centre that fails to comply with this requirement will not be eligible for payment, and its trainees will likewise forfeit their monthly stipends,” the statement said.
It added that any training centre that fails to comply with the directive will no longer be eligible for payment, while trainees at such centres will forfeit their monthly stipends.
The Ministry further warned that centres that continue to default despite prior notices risk being removed entirely from the TVET Programme, with affected trainees redeployed to centres that are fully compliant with the biometric requirement.
Reiterating the government’s position, the Ministry described compliance with biometric attendance verification as mandatory and non-negotiable, noting that the measure is designed to safeguard public funds and ensure that programme benefits reach their intended beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it remains open to onboarding new training centres into the TVET Programme. Interested centres are required to obtain accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and complete their applications through the NBTE TVET portal.
Students currently enrolled in the TVET Programme were also advised to confirm that their training centres have fully complied with the biometric verification requirement to avoid any disruption to their monthly stipends. The Ministry noted that complaints and requests for assistance can be submitted through the official TVET support platform on the portal.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the integrity of the TVET Programme and ensuring that public resources are deployed transparently, responsibly and efficiently to empower Nigerian youth and support national development.
