The Director General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, has stated that the Skill Up Artisan (SUPA) programme is a presidential initiative endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to encourage artisans and prepare them to migrate and seek work opportunities in Nigeria and globally.
Speaking with newsmen at the venue of the ITF Performance Review Meeting and Merit Award ceremony at its corporate headquarters in Jos, Plateau State, Dr Afiz emphasised that the programme aims to upskill existing and aspiring artisans, making them more competitive and appealing to employers, both domestically and potentially internationally.
“There are several economic benefits. First, the SUPA initiative enables artisans to migrate for work, similar to what India did. Their workers went abroad, gained new skills, and sent money home. Artisans tend to remit a large part of their earnings. This improves our economy through remittances.
“Second, we’re supplying the Nigerian job market with skilled labour. Our industries are asking for them — through our surveys and feedback from NECA, MAN, and others. They tell us what skills are needed, and we supply,” he said.
The Director General, who said President Tinubu is passionate about the programme, further asserted that SUPA cannot be hijacked by any politicians under the guise of constituency projects.
“SUPA is a presidential initiative. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally endorsed it, reviewed our Act, and handed it to ITF to implement. He’s monitoring it closely. That’s why politicians can’t hijack the process. When someone asks us to come take people from their constituency, we tell them to register through the official portal. The President made it clear: Every artisan in Nigeria is his candidate, no special treatment for anyone.”
He pointed out that the Fund had so far trained 29,000 foundation-level artisans, adding that the organisation is moving to the next phase, upgrading exit artisans to international standards.
According to him, the Industrial Training Fund is targeting 100,000 artisans, and no government has done this in the history of Nigeria, providing jobs, sending people abroad, and incubating businesses for artisans, adding that the results will soon be evident.
On the performance of ITF in 2024, the Director General mentioned that it was one of the best years for the Fund, adding that it exceeded its target across all areas, which was outstanding compared to previous years.
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