Abstract

The neglect of education, especially technical and vocational education and science-based technology education, in Nigeria has made a review of the poor investment in human capital development and national development rather compelling. Political leaders have always raised people’s hopes by painting glowing pictures of their development plans and how they would stimulate the economy and improve people’s living conditions. Thus, they swore that they would pay higher attention to human capital and national development and empower the citizens, particularly the poorly educated, unskilled, and unemployed youths with relevant human skills capital (HSC) and entrepreneurial skills to enable them to contribute profoundly to national development. Yet over the years political leaders have failed to adequately fund education and strengthen the infrastructure and institutions that would drive the economy and create employment for the teeming population. The new breed of politicians, just like their predecessors, is promising to transform the nation into an industrialized society. The reality is that Nigeria cannot become an industrialized society without investing handsomely in human capital development (education and health) and technological capabilities.