The Industrial Training Fund has announced a significant policy shift in its approach to artisan training by scrapping the distribution of starter-packs to graduates.
Instead, the Fund will now prioritize the certification of trainees by both local and international awarding bodies to enhance their competitiveness in the global market.
Director General of ITF, Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, revealed this in Abuja during a press briefing following the Fund’s assessment of privately owned training centers partnering with it for the Skills-Upgrading and Professional Advancement programme.
As ITF rolls out Phase II of the SUPA programme, it aims to expand the number of accredited training centers from 880 to 1,500 nationwide. This expansion is critical to meeting the Fund’s target of graduating 100,000 artisans in this phase.
Ogun explained that these 100,000 artisans will be selected from last year’s 29,000 SUPA Foundation graduates and a pool of over 700,000 registered artisans currently on the SUPA platform.
He stated: “As this population is scattered across every local government area in Nigeria, it is necessary to have at least 2 training centers per local government to guarantee ease of access by artisans.”
According to the Director General, the training center accreditation process is rigorous, involving the examination of corporate structures, physical infrastructure, training equipment, and instructor qualifications. Every training center must first register on the SUPA platform.’
Upon successful accreditation, training centers will be categorized into “A”, “B”, or “C”, with artisans then deployed to centers closest to their registered residential addresses. This deployment process is expected to be completed by April 30, 2025.
Ogun disclosed that ITF is heavily investing in the capacity development of these centers, with over 3,000 instructors already trained through a “train-the-trainer” initiative.
“The Fund is developing a holistic system for equipment support for training centers and also seeking ways to ease access to finance,” he added.
To meet the long-term goal of training 2 million artisans annually, ITF plans to collaborate with 10,000 well-established, privately owned training centers across Nigeria. This strategy forms part of a broader effort to develop a sustainable skills ecosystem that supplies industry-ready manpower and promotes lifelong learning.
The SUPA Phase II programme also includes training in soft skills such as Project Management, Professional Ethics & Patriotism, and Industrial Health & Safety.
Ogun said: “For Project Management, ITF is collaborating with the Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN) to deliver a bespoke certification for artisans in a special category. Both the examination and certification process of artisans in this phase will be handled by CIPMN.”
The second phase of SUPA will last eight weeks, after which successful participants will progress to Phase III. This final phase focuses on technical training (30% theory, 70% practical) and entrepreneurship.
Highlighting the programme’s broader impact, Ogun noted: “Though SUPA was given to ITF as a mandate to address rampant quackery, unemployment and youth restiveness, the program completely aligns with ITF’s core mandate and also addresses a long-standing challenge of providing contributing employers to the Fund with skilled manpower to keep their businesses going.”
He expressed appreciation to key supporters of the programme: “I thank the President of the Federal Republic for his deep foresight on this critical issue besetting our economy, the Minister of Industry for his leadership, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance for his solid support for the program, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN and Nigerian Employees Consultative Association, and other relevant public and private Organizations that have reckoned with the SUPA program.”
Ogun assured Nigerians that the benefits of ITF’s work will soon be evident: “In a short while, Nigerians will begin to feel the impact of all the good work being done behind the scenes by ITF in the form of better skilled workmen in relevant trade areas.”