Thousands of top-performing trainees in the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) Programme have taken a major step towards global certification, sitting for nationwide mock examinations ahead of their final assessment by City and Guilds International.
The mock examinations, held on Tuesday, 17th March 2026, were conducted simultaneously across 34 City and Guilds-approved centres and Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Area Offices nationwide. The selected candidates were drawn from a pool of trainees who had demonstrated outstanding performance in both theoretical and practical aspects of the SUPA training programme.
According to the ITF Director of Standardisation and Certification Department, Mrs Olayinka Shodunke, the exercise was designed to properly assess readiness for the final certification stage. She explained that only the most competent trainees were shortlisted, ensuring that those progressing to the next phase meet international standards.
She said the examinations covered nine key trades critical to Nigeria’s workforce development, including Welding and Fabrication, Plumbing and Pipefitting, Scaffolding, Waiter services, Electrical Installation, Auto Mechanic, Carpentry, Cyber Security, and Housekeeping.
Shodunke added that the results of the mock examinations would guide City and Guilds International in determining the schedule for the final certification exams, noting that proper evaluation of the scripts is currently underway.
During visits to several examination centres, the Director-General of ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, described the exercise as a clear reflection of the Fund’s commitment to raising globally competitive artisans. He emphasised that the programme is intentionally structured to ensure that Nigerian youths acquire skills that meet international benchmarks.
“This is a clear demonstration of our resolve to ensure that SUPA graduands are equipped with internationally recognised certifications,” Ogun stated, adding that such credentials would enable them to “compete effectively against their peers from any part of the world.”
He further disclosed that the next phase of the SUPA programme for 2026 would commence in the coming weeks, following a nationwide screening exercise conducted in December 2025. According to him, the overwhelming number of applicants reflects the growing demand for technical skills across the country.
“You may recall that in the last quarter of 2025, we conducted a screening of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who registered online for the programme nationwide,” he said. “Although not all applicants can be onboarded simultaneously due to limited centres, we remain committed to training as many Nigerians as possible.”
Ogun also revealed that the ITF is expanding its global partnerships beyond City and Guilds, stating that discussions are ongoing with other international certification bodies to broaden opportunities for trainees.
