The Federal Government has unveiled a policy to train graduates of monotechnics, polytechnics, and technical schools, as part of broader efforts to create jobs and upgrade the skills of Nigerian artisans.
Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Afiz Ogun, disclosed that the government plans to train 100,000 artisans across the country under the Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme before the end of the year.
Speaking in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during the inauguration of the Association of Nigeria Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) Southwest/Ondo State Secretariat, Ogun said SUPA was designed to bridge the skilled manpower gap in Nigerian industries by upskilling both current and aspiring artisans.
“The SUPA programme will reach artisans across the country so that foreign artisans don’t take our jobs. ITF is committed to supporting and lifting Nigerian artisans to international standards,” he said. “We laid the foundation last year by training over 29,000 non-artisans to become artisans. This year, we are targeting 100,000 artisans. The training will help strengthen their skills and make them globally competitive. President Bola Tinubu is determined to ensure that Nigerian artisans meet international benchmarks.”
Ogun emphasized the government’s commitment to the welfare of artisans, urging them to embrace the programme and support both the presidency and ITF.
He said, “The President wants to eliminate quackery in the profession. Artisans will receive practicing licenses, restoring dignity to labour. It is now up to our artisans to support SUPA.”
Addressing the government’s policy on training graduates of technical schools, the ITF boss explained that all graduates of polytechnics and technical institutions would undergo further training with the ITF to align with industry demands.
“When you study medicine in the university, you’re under the Ministry of Education, but upon graduation, the Ministry of Health takes over your professional development. The same logic should apply to technicians. Once they graduate from technical institutions, the Ministry of Industry, through ITF, will train and prepare them for industry standards.
“Just like doctors don’t become consultants overnight and lawyers must undergo further training to become SANs, so too must our technical graduates go through post-school development to be industry-ready. That’s our role at ITF under the Ministry of Industry,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of ASNAT, Adesina Akinyemi, praised the SUPA initiative, saying it would enable Nigerian artisans to compete with their counterparts globally.
Similarly, the Assistant Coordinator of the association in Ondo State, Sobande Oyeleye, said the programme affirms the Federal Government’s recognition of the association and its commitment to global best practices for artisans.
