Polytechnic Education & Allied Institutions
Last updated: 11 September, 2026
By: gwasem
Department Overview
The Tertiary Education Department of the Federal Ministry of Education was created in December 2006 as a result of the initiatives of the reform. In 2021, the Department was unbundled into three departments: University Education, Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions, and Colleges of Education.
The Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions Department coordinates and supervises polytechnic education in Nigeria, together with monotechnics and innovation enterprise institutions.
Our Vision
To advance Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness by the provision of skilled and semi-skilled technical and professional middle and high-level manpower through accessible, relevant, high quality education in our Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Innovation Enterprise and Innovations (IEIs) Institutions.
Our Mission
To constantly attract, develop and graduate competent, knowledgeable and talented individuals from our Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Innovation Enterprise and Innovations (IEIs) Institutions.
Mandate
- Coordinate and supervise policy design, implementation, and monitoring of Polytechnic Education in Nigeria
- Coordinate the establishment of new Federal Tertiary Education institutions, or the taking-over of existing State Polytechnics, in collaboration with relevant agencies
- Manage parastatals such as the National Board for Technical Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, on Polytechnic matters
- Coordinate the performance of the Visitor’s role in Federal Polytechnics as provided by law and as directed by the Honourable Minister of Education
- Organise and coordinate the constitution of Visitation Panels to Federal Polytechnics every five years, in accordance with the law, and the processing of reports thereof
Core Functions
- Monitor the level of implementation of the White Papers (Views of Government) on Visitation Panel reports
- Appoint and supervise the Ministry’s representatives on the Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics and the Board of the National Board for Technical Education
- Organise inaugurations, retreats, and capacity building programmes for members of the Governing Councils of Polytechnics, in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education
- Collate and process reports from the Governing Councils of all Federal Polytechnics
- Implement policies, extant laws, and government circulars in Federal Polytechnics
- Handle Federal Government negotiations, agreements, and memoranda of understanding with labour unions in the Polytechnics
- Process the approval and licensing of private Polytechnics, including Innovation Enterprise Institutions, as well as certificates awarded, in collaboration with the relevant regulatory agencies
- Develop and review the framework for Public Private Partnership in the establishment, management, and administration of Innovation Enterprise Institutions
- Monitor the level of compliance of Innovation Enterprise Institutions with the Operational Guidelines for their establishment
- Organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes for the popularisation of Innovation Enterprise Institutions, and the reversal of apathy towards Technical and Vocational Education at the tertiary level in Nigeria
- Liaise with the National Council on Establishment on policy formation for the articulation of Technical Education programmes, and the inclusion of certificates awarded in the Scheme of Service for career progression
- Maintain a data and information base of all Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions in Nigeria
- Coordinate the Secretariat of the NEEDS Assessment Projects and other special interventions in public Polytechnics
Leadership
DIRECTOR
Mrs Igwe Amy Kalu
The Director, Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions Department, Mrs Igwe Amy Kalu was born on 28th March, 1964 in Ibadan, Oyo State. She obtained both her first and second degrees in Health and Physical Education from the renowned University of Lagos. She has served in various capacities as a classroom teacher in various Federal Unity Colleges. She was also the Coordinating Evaluator, Abia State Office, then deployment as Vice Principal, Federal Technical College, Kuta-Shiroro Niger State and Principal, Federal Technical College, Uromi, Edo State, before her  redeployment to the Headquarters of Federal Ministry of Education as Director, Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions Department in March, 2026, where she serves till date. Mrs Igwe is married with children.
Organizational Structure
Divisions: Federal Polytechnics
Branches:
- Federal Polytechnics – South East
Federal Polytechnics – North East
Federal Polytechnics – South West
- Federal Polytechnics – North Central
Federal Polytechnics – South South
- Federal Polytechnics – North West
Key Functions:
- Coordinate and supervise policy design, implementation and monitoring of Polytechnic Education in Nigeria;
- Coordinate the establishment of new Federal Tertiary Education institution or taking–over existing State Polytechnics in collaboration with relevant agencies;
Coordinate the performance of the Visitor’s role in Federal Polytechnics as provided by the law and as directed by the Honourable Minister of Education;- Responsible for the monitoring of the level of implementation of the White Papers (Views of Government) of the Visitation Panel’s Reports;
- Collate and process report from Governing Councils of all Federal Polytechnics;
- Responsible for the implementation of policies, extant laws and government circulars in Federal Polytechnics;
- Organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes for the popularisation of IEIs and reversal of apathy towards Technical an Vocational Education at tertiary education level in Nigeria; and
- Maintain a data and information base of all Polytechnics in Nigeria.
Divisions: State And Private Polytechnics
Branches:
- State and Private -North East/South West
- State and Private – North West/South South
- State and Private – North Central/South East
Key Functions:
- Coordinate and supervise policy design, implementation and monitoring of Polytechnic Education (State & Private) in Nigeria;
- Collate and process reports and request from Governing Councils/Management of all State & Private Polytechnics;
iii. Responsible for the implementation of policies, extant laws and government circulars in State & Private Polytechnics (where applicable);
- Responsible for handling of issues of Negotiations, Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with labour Unions in State Governments owned & Private-owned Polytechnics;
- Process the approval and licensing of private tertiary institutions (Private Polytechnic) as well as certificates awarded in collaboration with the relevant Regulatory Agencies;
- Responsible for the monitoring of the level of compliance of the Private owned Polytechnics with the conditions of their licensing approvals;
vii. Organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes for the popularisation of Technical and Vocational Education at tertiary education (Polytechnic) level in Nigeria;
liaise with the National Council on Establishment on policy formulation for the articulation of technical education programmes and the inclusion of certificates awarded in the Scheme of Service for career progression; and- maintain a data and information base of all State & Private owned Polytechnics in Nigeria
Divisions: Monotechnics Innovation Enterprise
Branches:
- Establishment and Licensing of Monotechnics & IEIs
Advocacy and Monitoring of Monotechnics & IEIs
Development of Entrepreneurship Education
Key Functions:
- Coordinate and supervise policy design, implementation and monitoring of Polytechnic Education Monotechnics & Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) in Nigeria;
- Appoint and supervise the Ministry’s representatives on the Governing Boards of Monotechnics & IEIs;
iii. Organise inauguration, retreats and capacity building programmes for members of the Governing Boards of IEIs in collaboration with NBTE;
- Collate and process report from Governing Boards of Monotechnics & IEIs;
- Responsible for the implementation of policies, extant laws and government circulars in Monotechnics & IEIs;
- Responsible for handling of Federal Government Negotiations, Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Proprietor of Monotechnics & IEIs;
vii. Process the approval and licensing of Monotechnics & (IEIs) as well as certificates awarded in collaboration with the relevant Regulatory Agencies;
viii. Develop and review the Framework for Public Private Partnership in the establishment, management and administration of Monotechnics & IEIs;
- Responsible for the monitoring of the level of compliance of the Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) with the Operational Guidelines for their establishment;
- Organise advocacy and sensitisation programmes for the popularisation of IEIs and reversal of apathy towards Technical and Vocational Education at tertiary education level in Nigeria;
xi Liaise with the National Council on Establishment on policy formulation for the articulation of technical education programmes and the inclusion of certificates awarded in the Scheme of Service for career progression; and
xii. Maintain a data and information base of all Monotechnics and IEIs in Nigeria.
Divisions: Institutional Supports And Partnership
Branches:
- Staff Support & Labour Relations
- Students’ Support Services
- Resource Materials & Documentation
Key Functions:
- Coordinate and supervise policy design, implementation and monitoring of Polytechnic Education (Unions Matters – ASUP, SSANIP, NASU) in Nigeria;
- Organise inauguration, retreats and capacity building programmes for members of the Students & Staff Unions in Polytechnics in collaboration with NBTE;
iii. Responsible for the implementation of policies, extant laws and government circulars in all [Federal, State & Private] Polytechnics;
- Responsible for handling of Federal Government Negotiations, Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with labour Unions in the Polytechnics; and
- Maintain a data and information base of Union Activities in all Polytechnics, Monotechnics and IEIs in Nigeria;
Divisions: Management of Regulatory Agencies
Branches:
Key Functions:
Key Services
Content to be provided
Key Programmes / Projects
- Capacity building workshops for Ministry representatives and members of Governing Councils
- Development and implementation of operational guidelines for Innovation Enterprise Institutions
- Renegotiation of the 2010 Federal Government and Unions agreement in the Polytechnic sub-sector
- Stakeholders’ workshop on industrial relations
- Regular meetings of the Rapid Response Team on union matters
- Constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee to draft a Bill on the establishment and management of Innovation Enterprise Institutions
Achievements
- Stabilisation of the academic calendar in Polytechnics
- Negotiation with trade unions in the Polytechnic sector on the way forward
- Round-table discussion with the National Association of Polytechnic Students to support stability
- Increased infrastructural development under the NEEDS Assessment intervention
- Approval of the establishment of private Polytechnics, Monotechnics, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions for skills development in Nigeria
- Establishment of Federal Polytechnics in all states except Sokoto and the FCT, on-going
- Monitoring of the appointment of principal officers and key management staff in Federal Polytechnics
- Resolution and signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Board for Technical Education and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria on the Higher National Diploma in Pharmacy Technology
- Acquisition of the Cross River State Institute of Technology and Management as a campus of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep
- Coordination and monitoring of the licensing of State and Private Polytechnics
- Skills gap assessment conducted in collaboration with relevant departments and regulatory agencies
Images & Media
Contact Information
Main Office: Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions Department, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Secretariat, Shehu Shagari Way Abuja, Nigeria P.M.B 146, Garki.
- Email: peai@education.gov.ng