Industrial Training Fund SUPA programme aims to upgrade Nigerian artisan skills

Dr. Tunde Adekola, a former World Bank Senior Education Specialist, has encouraged Nigerian artisans to participate in the Industrial Training Fund’s (ITF) Skill Up Artisans (SUPA) programme. During a tour of the ITF Model Skills Centre in Abuja, Adekola highlighted vocational training as a critical tool for youth empowerment, job creation, and poverty reduction.

ITF Director-General Dr. Afiz Ogun reported that an ongoing eight-week Train-the-Trainers Capacity Workshop is currently training participants in five specific trades: floor tiling, bricklaying, carpentry, painting, and decorating. To enhance the quality of instruction, the ITF has engaged training experts from the United Kingdom to build participant capacity.

Upon completion, participants are expected to receive professional certification. The ITF is also collaborating with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) to facilitate employment opportunities for programme beneficiaries.