The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to grassroots artisans to upgrade local skills to meet both national and international benchmarks and compete in the global markets.
Speaking recently during the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) zonal rally, Dr Afiz Ogun, director-general of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), stated that the initiative is designed to professionalise the sector.
The rally was designed to raise aimed to raise awareness of the programme throughout the North-West region.
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The rally saw a diverse turnout of professionals, including those in construction and engineering such as welders, fabricators, plumbers, and carpenters.
Those in the technical service comprised of electrical installers and automobile mechanics, while those in the creative and digital space were fashion designers and ICT technicians.
Represented by Muhammad Aminu, the former zonal director of the ITF, Ogun explained that the SUPA scheme seeks to convert traditional craftsmanship into sustainable livelihoods.
He emphasised that the goal is to transform artisans from job seekers into employers of labour.
“We are calling on artisans across the North-West to embrace the SUPA programme,” Ogun remarked. “This is an opportunity to enhance productivity, increase earnings, and ensure our workforce can compete on a global stage”.
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Restoring the dignity of labour
According to the DG, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on restoring dignity to manual and technical work.
He noted that a competent artisan class forms the essential foundation of a productive economy.
He further called upon traditional rulers, community leaders, and trade associations to assist the ITF in disseminating information about the programme to ensure high participation rates.
“We are here to engage the technicians, the tradespeople, and the young talents who serve as the backbone of our economy,” he added.
Nancy Ekong, director of the Technical Vocational Skills Training Department, highlighted the programme’s recent successes. She revealed that over 30,000 artisans were trained and upgraded during the initial SUPA cycle in 2025.
The ITF remains optimistic that the continued expansion of SUPA will bridge the existing skills gap in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
ITF to reclaim Nigeria’s labour market from foreign dominance
Ogun, had earlier issued a rallying cry for the professionalisation of Nigerian craftsmanship, warning that local artisans are losing significant income to foreign nationals due to a “quality gap” in the domestic workforce.
He argued that while the Nigerian economy offers ample opportunity, a lack of standardised expertise has allowed workers from neighbouring West African nations and other countries to dominate high-paying technical roles.
Bridging the quality gap
Ogun emphasised that the government’s new mandate is not merely about providing certificates, but ensuring that training leads directly to viable employment and industrial trust.
“We do not want a situation where we train them and simply leave them to their own devices,” the DG stated. “The jobs are available, but the required quality is not currently there. That is why we see workers from Ghana, Benin, and Togo, as well as India, coming here, succeeding, and repatriating their earnings.”
He noted that while international labour laws protect the rights of foreign professionals to work in Nigeria, the onus is on the Federal Government to ensure local talent is competitive enough to reclaim those roles.
“Landlords” of the economy
Ogun framed the SUPA initiative as a matter of national pride and poverty alleviation.
He insisted that Nigerians must become the primary beneficiaries of the country’s industrial projects.
“We are the landlords; we should be tasting the money too,” Ogun remarked. “We must empower our artisans and lift them out of poverty. The President has given us this mandate, and we are fully prepared to deliver on it.”
Challenging the “Nigeria factor”
The DG also took the opportunity to challenge the prevailing cynicism regarding national productivity and project implementation. Addressing concerns over the so-called “Nigeria factor”, a term often used to describe systemic inefficiency. Hecalled for a shift in national mindset.
“I do not like it when people refer to the ‘Nigeria factor’ in a negative light,” he said, suggesting that under the new SUPA framework, the phrase should instead represent a new standard of excellence and homegrown success.
The ITF aims to upskill five million artisans annually, with the first batch of 100,000 trainees currently being processed following a rigorous screening exercise designed to eliminate “ghost” applicants and ensure genuine skill acquisition.
