Nigeria’s 2026 budget allocates over three times more to motorcycles and tricycles for youth empowerment than to technical and vocational training, highlighting a gap between government spending and long-term economic needs.
BusinessDay’s analysis of the Appropriation Act found N31 billion for 204 motorcycle and tricycle projects across 54 federal MDAs, against N9 billion for technical and vocational skills. This comes as the World Bank says over half of Nigerians with post-secondary education cannot get high-skilled jobs, while employers struggle to find technically skilled workers.
Qudus Akinjide, 32, graduated from the University of Ibadan five years ago and turned to tricycle driving after more than 100 failed job applications. “I could barely feed myself. I didn’t have the money or time to learn technology or other modern skills,” Akinjide said. “I make just enough to survive.” Bello Garba, a Lagos rider, said a Kano politician gave him his motorcycle.
The World Bank says fewer than 184,000 Nigerians complete technical and vocational education yearly, while 12 percent of youths are NEET. It blamed outdated curricula, poor facilities and weak links between training institutions and industry. Although NBS puts unemployment at 4.3 percent, over 60 percent live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.
Most motorcycle projects are constituency projects. Kano received over N2 billion for motorcycles and tricycles but N335 million for training. Sokoto got N2 billion against N55 million, Katsina N1.2 billion against zero, and Gombe over N1.5 billion against zero.
BusinessDay identified 114 motorcycle projects worth N12.6 billion and 48 tricycle projects worth N7.8 billion. Niger had the largest allocation at N5.9 billion, followed by Kano, Gombe and Sokoto.
Some allocations also target areas where commercial motorcycles are restricted for security reasons. Kano budgeted N465.5 million across five restricted LGAs, while Matazu and Musawa in Katsina received N350 million despite a ban.
Experts Lekan Soneye and Rasaq Fatai said the policy offers temporary relief rather than sustainable economic growth. Soneye said, “While other countries are investing in technologies that drive productivity and economic growth, Nigeria is distributing motorcycles.” Fatai urged investment in education, manufacturing and industries such as textiles, steel and petrochemicals.
