ASUP Warns Nigeria’s Technical Skills Gap Will Persist Without Polytechnic Revitalisation
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has cautioned that Nigeria’s widening technical skills gap will remain unresolved unless polytechnics are deliberately revitalised, adequately funded, and strategically repositioned as the backbone of national industrial and technological development.
Polytechnics and Nigeria’s Skills Deficit
At the conclusion of its 18th National Conference, ASUP noted that Nigeria’s failure to prioritise technical and vocational education has weakened productivity, worsened unemployment, and limited the country’s ability to build a competitive workforce. According to the union, sustained neglect of polytechnic education is directly linked to the nation’s growing shortage of practical and industry-ready skills.
Delegates stressed that the future of technical and vocational learning depends on consistent investment and policy focus, warning that sidelining polytechnics undermines national development goals.
Security, Economic Hardship, and Learning Conditions
ASUP expressed deep concern over rising insecurity across the country and its impact on educational institutions, describing the situation as a serious threat to teaching, research, and staff welfare. The union also highlighted the escalating cost of living, inflation, and economic hardship facing Nigerians.
It urged the Federal Government to strengthen security through better intelligence coordination while introducing relief measures to cushion economic pressures and reduce poverty levels.
Funding Gaps and Staff Welfare Concerns
On funding, ASUP accused the government of lacking genuine commitment to reviving polytechnics, calling for the immediate release of approved funds for the second phase of the NEEDS Assessment Intervention. The union insisted that the funds must be disbursed transparently and equitably to all eligible institutions.
Delegates warned that continued neglect of staff welfare would further damage industrial relations within the polytechnic sub-sector.
HND/BSc Dichotomy and Policy Reforms
ASUP renewed its long-standing demand for the abolition of the HND/BSc dichotomy, describing it as discriminatory and outdated. The union commended the National Assembly for reintroducing the bill to end the policy and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to assent to it when passed.
According to ASUP, ending the dichotomy would promote fairness, strengthen national unity, and modernise Nigeria’s workforce.
Governance and Institutional Stability
The union criticised delays in concluding the renegotiation of the ASUP/Federal Government 2010 Agreement, noting that reforms in funding, supervision, and staff welfare are long overdue. It also raised concerns over administrative lapses caused by delayed reconstitution of Governing Councils, which stalled the appointment of key officers in several institutions.
While acknowledging recent efforts to address the issue, ASUP warned that prolonged delays undermine governance and institutional stability.
Quality Assurance and the Future of Polytechnics
ASUP rejected attempts to outsource quality assurance functions of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to private vendors, insisting that quality control must remain a public responsibility rather than a profit-driven activity.
The union also criticised the indiscriminate conversion of polytechnics into universities, warning that the trend weakens Nigeria’s technical education framework. ASUP reiterated its call for a dual-mandate structure that allows polytechnics to run degree programmes without abandoning their core technological and skills-based mission.
Bottom Line
ASUP maintains that without deliberate investment, policy reforms, and renewed respect for technical education, Nigeria risks deepening its skills deficit. The union insists that revitalised polytechnics are essential to industrial growth, job creation, and the development of a resilient, future-ready workforce.
