ITF set to upskill 100,000 artisans, technical school graduates
By Adeola Ogunrinde
The Federal Government has announced plans to train 100,000 artisans across Nigeria through the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme, aimed at creating jobs and enhancing skills to meet international standards. The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun, made this known in Akure during the inauguration of the Ondo State Secretariat of the Association of Nigeria Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT).
Dr. Ogun said the SUPA initiative will bridge the skilled manpower gap in the country by equipping both aspiring and existing artisans with relevant competencies. He revealed that over 29,000 individuals with no prior skills were trained in 2024, while this year’s target is to upskill 100,000 artisans nationwide.
“Our goal is to ensure Nigerian artisans can compete globally,” he said. “We’ve laid the foundation, and now we’re building on it. This programme ensures that jobs meant for Nigerians aren’t taken by foreign artisans. President Tinubu is fully committed to this goal.”
Dr. Ogun also spoke on a new policy to further train graduates of technical institutions, noting that polytechnic and monotechnic graduates will be transitioned from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Industry for specialized industry-standard training under ITF.
He likened the approach to the way medical and legal graduates undergo additional training before practicing, emphasizing that technical graduates also require professional grooming to thrive in the workforce. “We will prepare them for the industrial revolution Nigeria is driving under President Tinubu’s administration,” he said.
National Coordinator of ASNAT, Comrade Adesina Akinyemi, praised the SUPA programme, saying it would empower Nigerian artisans to compete globally. He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to artisans under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, ASNAT’s Ondo State Assistant Coordinator, Sobande Oyeleye, said the recognition of the association by the Federal Government is a major boost toward meeting global standards. Members across the South-West turned out in large numbers to welcome Dr. Ogun.
Dr. Ogun, who was also in Ondo State for Eid-el-Kabir festivities, was warmly received by the artisans’ body, which expressed gratitude for the government’s support. They applauded the SUPA programme as a transformative initiative for artisans and technicians across Nigeria.
