The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) have signed a memorandum of understanding to align Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with industry needs.

Assistant director, media/protocol, NABTEB, Uchechukwu Olisah, said in a statement on Thursday in Benin City that the two parties entered into the agreement during a meeting with the council in Abuja.

The NABTEB registrar and chief executive officer, Mohammed Aminu-Mohammed, said the initiative was consistent with global best practices.

Mr Mohammed said examination and assessment bodies collaborate with professional associations to keep technical education relevant to industry needs.

The registrar said Nigeria’s drive to achieve an 80:20 practical-to-theory ratio in TVET required active participation of professional bodies with technical expertise and industry experience.

According to him, the partnership will focus on curriculum and syllabus development, certification and licensing, accreditation of training institutions, assessment and quality assurance.

“NABTEB and professional bodies will jointly revalidate syllabuses to ensure technical college graduates acquire competencies that meet current industry standards.

“Professional bodies will also participate in accrediting training institutions to ensure they possess adequate equipment, facilities and instructional materials for effective practical training,” he said.

The NABTEB chief executive said the bodies would support assessment and quality assurance to ensure graduates possess skills required by employers and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr Mohammed described the pact as a milestone in technical education reform, expressing confidence that it would improve TVET delivery and produce graduates with practical skills for economic growth.

Speaking on behalf of CORBON, chairman, Samson Opaluwah, described the agreement as a historic milestone that would strengthen skills development and produce competent artisans and professionals.

Mr Opaluwah said the partnership would enable CORBON to issue professional licences to candidates certified by NABTEB, following the council’s expanded regulatory mandate under the National Skills Qualification Framework.

He said the council’s mandate now covered practitioners across the building industry, including artisans, technicians, technologists and professional builders, while recognising skills acquired through informal learning.

According to him, professional regulatory bodies, including CORBON and COREN, are responsible for setting competency standards, licensing practitioners and enforcing professional ethics within their respective professions.

Mr Opaluwah said the collaboration would ensure NABTEB-certified graduates possessed industry-relevant skills and met professional requirements, thereby safeguarding the public and improving construction service quality.