The Federal Government has announced plans to upskill over 100,000 artisans to international standards by December 2025. This was disclosed by Mr. Afiz Ogun, Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), during an inspection tour of the Skill Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) training centers in Jos, Plateau State, on Tuesday.
Ogun explained that the initiative is aimed at improving the economic well-being of Nigerians by equipping artisans with skills that meet global demands. He stated that the programme began last year with a foundation phase where about 29,000 artisans were trained.
“The SUPA is a big programme which started last year with the foundation programme, where we trained about 29,000 artisans. This year the target is 100,000 and we would be upscaling them to international standards,” he said.
According to him, the ongoing programme would provide artisans with international certification that would place them on equal footing with their peers abroad. “Where a plumber in Nigeria has his own international certificate that nobody can look down upon him anywhere in the world,” Ogun added.
The ITF Director-General appealed to the private sector to collaborate with the government in establishing skill training centers rather than focusing on setting up private schools. He noted that such centers would not only empower the youth but also strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global workforce.
“We are begging well-meaning Nigerians, instead of you forming private schools here and there, establish training centers, and you will gain from it. Nigerians are waking up now, even though they have children in schools, they still want them to learn one skill or the other,” he said.
During the inspection, some beneficiaries of the training also shared their experiences. Fauziya Bayero, a fashion trainee, said the training has given her the opportunity to acquire skills that will make her competitive globally. Similarly, Onovo Okon, a CNG trainee, expressed optimism that the international certification would help him advance in his profession.
The training centres visited during the tour included a Metal Fabrication and CNG conversion centre, a fashion workshop, a mechanic workshop, and an ITF staff training centre.