Requirements, documents, what the test involves and how long it takes.
A trade test certificate is issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and proves you are competent in your trade to a recognised standard. Here is the whole process, start to finish.
There are three grades and they are not interchangeable. Sitting the wrong one wastes your money.
Published guidance on the experience thresholds varies, and the requirement is assessed against your trade and your history. Ask the centre rather than assuming from something you read online.
Only accredited centres can conduct the examination. Your state Federal Secretariat has a Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment office that can tell you which centres near you are accredited. The Ministry also runs its own Skills Upgrading and Vocational Training Centres across the geopolitical zones.
Before you commit, read our page on centres, which includes the questions worth asking any centre before you pay them anything.
Requirements vary slightly by centre, but you will generally need:
You do not need WAEC or any school certificate to sit a trade test. It assesses practical skill in your trade, not academic results. This is one of the most common reasons people wrongly believe they are not eligible.
Registration is done in person at the centre. Some centres take payment directly, others send you to a designated bank. Ask for a receipt either way.
On what it costs, read our page on trade test certificate cost. The short version is that no national price list is published, the amount varies by trade and grade and centre, and anybody quoting you a price for the certificate itself rather than the examination is selling you a forgery.
The test has two parts.
The practical component is the main event. You are given work to do and assessed on technique, accuracy and safety while you do it. This is why no online route exists.
The written or oral component covers the theory behind the trade at a level appropriate to the grade: materials, measurement, calculation, safety rules and working practice.
You need a satisfactory result in both to pass.
Processing takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the centre. The certificate is a physical document issued on official government stationery. See what a trade test certificate looks like if you want to know what to expect.
Most people searching this are not only looking for the examination. They need the skill first, or they have the skill and no formal training behind it.
ServHub Training is accredited by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to conduct trade test examinations, and we examine on site. You train with us and you test with us, which removes a step and a journey. Our Foundation programme runs 90 days for people starting from nothing, and our Advanced programme is for working artisans who need certification that matches their skill.
💬 Ask Us About ThisNo. The trade test assesses practical skill in your trade, not academic results. No school certificate is required.
The examination itself is normally a single sitting. Certificate processing takes from a few days to a few weeks depending on the centre.
Generally a valid means of identification, passport photographs, proof of training or experience, a completed application form and your payment receipt. Confirm the exact list with your centre.
No. Registration and examination both happen in person, because the practical component has to be observed.
It depends on your trade and how long you have worked in it. An accredited centre will assess this with you rather than you guessing from published thresholds.
ServHub Training is accredited by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to conduct trade test examinations, and we examine on site at our Port Harcourt centre. We run 24 courses across construction, electrical, mechanical, craft and digital trades.
ServHub Training is operated by ServHub Technologies Limited, RC 9494742. Search it at search.cac.gov.ng. Walk into the centre at 127 Igwuruta Road, Atali, Port Harcourt any weekday and see the workshop before you pay anybody anything.
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Published 20 September 2026. Last reviewed 20 September 2026. Government processes change. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.