Nigeria’s technical education sector may be on the verge of a historic transformation as the Association of Private Polytechnics in Nigeria (APPN) has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government’s plan to abolish the long-standing Higher National Diploma (HND) dichotomy.APPN President, Dr. Benjamin Achiatar, described the move as a landmark reform under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it would significantly strengthen the nation’s technological workforce and stimulate economic growth.
Speaking on the development, Achiatar said the reform aligns with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and would reposition technical education for greater relevance and respect.
He expressed confidence that ending the disparity between HND and university degrees would encourage more students to enrol in polytechnics, which have traditionally been key producers of middle-level manpower in the country.The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently announced that polytechnics would be empowered to award of Technology (BTech) honours degrees once the HND dichotomy is abolished.
According to Achiatar, converting HND qualifications into BTech degrees would elevate the status of polytechnics and their academic staff, while preserving the core focus on practical and technical training.
Addressing regulatory concerns, the APPN president explained that the reform includes plans to upgrade the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) into a full-fledged commission. He said this would enable the body to exclusively regulate polytechnics and handle accreditation for degree awards without undermining existing university regulatory structures.
He emphasized that the proposed changes come in two parts: granting polytechnics the authority to award BTech honours degrees and transforming NBTE into a commission with expanded oversight powers.
Both proposals, he revealed, have already passed second reading at the National Assembly, signaling strong legislative momentum.Stakeholders believe the reform could mark a turning point for technical education in Nigeria, narrowing the gap between polytechnic and university qualifications while boosting the country’s capacity to produce skilled, industry-ready graduates.