President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to enhance the skills of twenty million craftsmen over the next five years to bolster the nation’s economy.
Addressing the initiative at ITF’s headquarters in Abuja, the Director General, Afiz Oluwatoyin, highlighted the objective to ensure local craftsmen can competitively match their international counterparts.
Oluwatoyin emphasized the administration’s commitment to counter the trend of foreign artisans occupying positions meant for domestic craftsmen, stating, “Nigerian artisans have operated at a disadvantage, but we aim to change that. We want standard artisans who can excel globally.”
Acknowledging the challenges faced by Nigerian artisans in securing jobs domestically, Oluwatoyin stressed the need to upgrade their skills to meet international standards.
He outlined the ITF’s plan, involving collaboration with artisan associations and a phased training approach.
“We cannot scale up artisans without involving the artisan association.
The president has mandated us to upskill five million artisans in the first year and continue at this pace to reach a total of 20 million skilled artisans in four years.”
The programme aims to categorize and train artisans through ITF and private training centers.
Oluwatoyin assured the involvement of union members in the process, recognizing their pivotal role in the success of the initiative.
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