NBTE Defends Against Fraud Allegations by Sahara Reporters

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), led by Executive Secretary Professor Idri Bugaje, is responding to allegations made by Sahara Reporters, which published a report on August 14, 2025, claiming fraud and job racketeering within the agency. The report has been criticized for lacking credible evidence and is viewed as a campaign to discredit Bugaje's leadership.

Bugaje, who was first appointed on April 14, 2021, and whose tenure is set to end on March 13, 2026, is accused of illegitimate recruitment practices. However, the NBTE asserts that all recruitment processes followed due procedure and that Bugaje's reappointment was legitimate.

The agency has made significant strides in reforming Nigeria's technical and vocational education sector, including modernizing curricula and enhancing graduate employability through practical skills training. The NBTE aims to align education with labor market realities and improve the quality of technical education across the country.