President Bola Tinubu has approved the reappointment of Professor Idris Bugaje as Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for a second and final five-year term.
Bugaje first assumed the role on March 14, 2021, following his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari. His initial five-year tenure concluded in March 2026.
The reappointment was announced in a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. The statement noted that the decision followed “a careful review of Bugaje’s performance, leadership record, and the significant transformation in the technical and vocational education and training sub-sector under his stewardship.”
According to the Presidency, Bugaje’s tenure has aligned with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for education, citing achievements such as the strategic repositioning of Nigeria’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystem, comprehensive curriculum modernisation, and the development and review of 100 national curricula to meet global skills demands.
As the regulatory body for technical and vocational education in Nigeria, the NBTE oversees polytechnics, monotechnics, technical colleges, and innovation enterprise institutions.
President Tinubu urged Bugaje to use his final term to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete critical initiatives already underway.
Bugaje, an academic and seasoned administrator, holds a doctorate and brings extensive experience in technical education administration. His renewed tenure will run until March 2031.
Under Nigerian civil service regulations, executive secretaries of federal agencies are typically limited to two terms of five years each.
The NBTE is responsible for accrediting programmes, setting standards, and coordinating technical institutions nationwide.