The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in collaboration with the Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF), has trained 163 artisans in Kogi State under the Skill-Up Artisan (SUPA) initiative.
At a certificate presentation ceremony held Thursday in Lokoja, Mr. Moses Ochala, ITF SUPA Coordinator in Kogi, said the programme aimed to equip young Nigerians with market-relevant skills, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the training was designed to enhance artisans’ competencies, connect them to local and international job markets, and improve their livelihoods.
Ochala commended the federal government for introducing the programme, describing it as a powerful tool for citizen empowerment.
LMF Executive Director, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, said the programme provided training in garment making, fashion design, and embroidery, and qualified participants for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) trade certification.
“This is part of LMF’s broader mission to enhance skills and competence in technical trades,” Osikoya said, noting that over 500 artisans have sat for NABTEB exams at LMF’s institutes since 2019.
She encouraged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously and pursue certification to scale their businesses.
Beneficiaries Treasure Isiaka and Agatha Ojodale expressed gratitude to the organisers, promising to use their new skills to become entrepreneurs and job creators.
Other stakeholders who spoke included Mr. Tsebije Jonathan, Executive Director of the State Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education, and Mrs. Pauline Ajibili, NABTEB State Coordinator.
