The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced preparations to enrol 100,000 artisans in the second phase of its Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA).
ITF Director-General, Dr Oluwatoyin Ogun, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. He stated that the second phase follows the successful completion of the pilot phase of the programme.
Ogun explained that SUPA was designed to address Nigeria’s skilled manpower shortage by identifying, training, and certifying artisans while connecting them to employment opportunities.
“The ITF is leveraging technology to assess artisans’ skill levels, provide upskilling opportunities, and facilitate international certification examinations,” he said.
He revealed that SUPA will be implemented in three phases, with the foundational phase already producing 29,000 graduates. The ITF is expanding training centres from 800 to 1,500 nationwide.
“ITF has reached an advanced stage in discussions with the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) to link SUPA graduates with industries for employment. Additionally, the structure for SUPA business incubation is being finalised,” he stated.
Ogun assured that all necessary steps were being taken to streamline payments to trainees and training centres while also procuring essential training materials before the programme commences.
