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FCT: 3 Years Of Success Story Of ITF SUPA Programme Among Artisans In Abuja
Across Nigeria’s informal economy, a quiet crisis has been eating away local livelihoods, that is foreign competition.
Skilled tradesmen from beyond the country’s borders now dominate construction sites nationwide, claiming trades once exclusive preserve for Nigerian hands which include tiling, wiring, bricklaying, carpentry among others.
The fallout has been devastating, as most Nigerian artisans are abandoning their hard-earned trades for okada or worse, drifting into crimes due to lack of jobs to put food on their tables.
Determined to reverse the tide, President Bola Tinubu, from his earliest days in office, charged the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, with a bold mandate, to retool Nigerian artisans to world-class standards, restore their competitiveness, and end the reliance on imported labour, to building a nation where jobs and wealth are made by Nigerian hands.
Out of that directive was born the Skill Up Artisans, SUPA, programme now three years into transforming the fortunes of Nigerian tradesmen nationwide.
Our correspondent who went round some Artisan workshops across the Federal Capital Territory, put the SUPA programme to a test and asking its beneficiaries, three years on, has the promise been kept?
Some of the Artisans who are beneficiaries of the SUPA Programme described it as eye opener on their various field of endeavour.
One of them, Chukwudi Okafor who is a Tiler and residing in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, said after undergoing the intensive ITF SUPA Programme, he has been able to get jobs with notable construction companies in Abuja due to some technical international best practices he acquired from the Trainers at the event.
According to him, tiling is now made easy for him after the SUPA capacity training.
Another beneficiary and Graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna, Niger State, Eniola Aina said she acquired the best international practice experience most especially in the maintenance and repairs of electrical cars.
She stated that after the training, she has been able to secure a Consultant appointment with a foreign company in Canada thereby making her to be self reliant.
On his part, a Bricklayer, Abdullahi Yakubu who also benefitted from the ITF SUPA Programme commended the Agency and President Bola Tinubu for upgrading the skills of trade men in Nigeria.
Abdullahi Yakubu who live in Kuje Area Council of the FCT explained that the techniques acquired during training has placed him above his counterparts in the FCT thereby securing more lucrative jobs during to his professional productivity as a result of the ITF SUPA capacity training.
Other Artisans who are also beneficiaries of the ITF SUPA Programme described the international certification of the Programme as a welcomed development and called for more initiatives that would further empower artisans in the country.
Speaking on the SUPA Programme, the Director General of Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun said the SUPA Programme has since led to the training of 200 thousand Nigerian Artisans from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT while another 100 thousand beneficiaries would be added for the 2026 batch of the programme.
Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun stated that beneficiaries of the programme were selected after due online registration and screening by ITF.
According to him, apart from the training, beneficiaries of the programme would receive international certification that would also lead to exportation of skilled trade men towards improving Nigeria’s GDP and boost national economic development.
Dr. Oluwatoyin Ogun who pointed out that ITF is engaging best international educational institution and Experts on the training said the Fund is equally collaborating with other Agencies most especially the National Orientation Agency towards inculcating the spirit of patriotism in beneficiaries of the SUPA Programme.
Commenting on the SUPA Programme, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, Prof Idris Bugaje said handing over the regulation of Nigeria’s Informal skills sector to ITF would go a long way in actualizing the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s led administration on skills development.
Prof. Bugaje who identified skills acquisition as key to job creation said NBTE would continue to support ITF towards realizing the objectives of its SUPA Programme.