The Federal Government of Nigeria has begun full enforcement of biometric attendance verification across all centres participating in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
According to the Federal Ministry of Education, the directive took effect from 1 February 2026 and now determines how training centres receive funding and how trainees are paid their monthly stipends.
Under the new arrangement, only attendance records captured through approved biometric devices will be recognised. Any centre or trainee not properly captured risks missing out on payments.
Biometric Verification Now Mandatory for All TVET Centres
In an official statement signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, the government confirmed that biometric verification is now the only accepted method for validating attendance under the TVET programme.
All participating training centres have been instructed to install biometric attendance systems that allow real-time monitoring of trainees’ participation.
This move follows earlier circulars issued to centres in December 2025, warning that manual registers or unofficial attendance methods would no longer be accepted.
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How the New Rule Affects Payments and Stipends
The Ministry of Education stated clearly that payments to training centres and stipends to trainees are now processed strictly based on verified biometric data.
This means:
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Training centres without functional biometric systems will not receive funding
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Trainees attached to non-compliant centres will not be paid stipends
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Attendance not captured biometrically will not count, even if the trainee was present
According to government data, over 100,000 trainees are currently enrolled across more than 1,600 vocational schools and centres nationwide, forming the first phase of the programme. An additional 250,000 trainees are expected to be enrolled within the next few months.
Sanctions for Non-Compliant Training Centres
The ministry warned that centres that continue to ignore the directive face strict penalties.
Such centres may be:
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Suspended from receiving programme funds
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Removed entirely from the TVET programme
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Stripped of their trainees, who may be reassigned to compliant centres
The government stressed that enforcement is not optional and applies equally to public and private training institutions.
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Advice to TVET Trainees
Students currently enrolled in the TVET programme have been advised to confirm that their centres are fully compliant with biometric attendance requirements.
Trainees are encouraged to:
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Ask their centre administrators about biometric capture schedules
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Ensure their fingerprints or biometric data are successfully recorded
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Monitor their TVET dashboard for attendance updates
Any complaints, errors, or missing attendance records can be submitted through the official TVET support platform on the programme portal.
How New Centres Can Join the TVET Programme
The Federal Government also confirmed that applications are still open for new training centres interested in joining the TVET programme.
To qualify, centres must:
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Obtain accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)
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Apply through the official NBTE TVET portal
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Deploy approved biometric attendance systems before onboarding trainees
Only centres that meet these requirements will be allowed to operate under the programme.
Government Position Going Forward
The Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to ensuring that public funds are properly managed and that benefits reach genuine participants.
Officials noted that biometric verification helps reduce errors, prevent abuse, and ensure that only active trainees receive payments.
As the TVET programme expands nationwide, the government says compliance with biometric attendance rules will remain a core requirement for participation.
