3.6bn Earmarked To Empower Beneficiaries Of ITF SUPA

As part of measures to empower Nigerian Artisans, the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, has earmarked three point six billion naira on Business Incubation Programme to acquire equipment for successful artisans under the Skill Up Artisans, SUPA Programme of ITF.

The Director General of ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin – Ogun who made this known in Abuja during the screening of Artisans for the 2026 SUPA Programme said another batch of two hundred thousand artisans would benefit from this year’s training exercise.

According to Dr Oluwatoyin – Ogun, the screening which is holding simultaneously nationwide is among other things to acquire international certification and empower Nigerian artisans in line with global best practices.

“We are currently screening the Artisans for our 2026 batch of SUPA Programme because they have registered and we need to screen them to avoid having fake artisans for the third edition of SUPA because as you know that some people will just come and collect the Federal Government’s money and go and we want the real artisans that are ready to skill up towards realizing President Bola Tinubu’s directive concerning the programme”.

The Director General of ITF explained that the SUPA Programme is also aimed at ensuring job and wealth creation as well as poverty reduction in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s led administration for Nigerian artisans.

In his words, “President Bola Tinubu is saying that it is becoming an embarrassment for us in Nigeria that artisans are coming from neighbouring countries and even as far as China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and so on to take over jobs meant for our own artisans hence the need for this SUPA Programme “.

“There are three exits to SUPA which include talent export because the President is not discouraging japa but if any Nigerian must japa he or she must do that with skills, japa with correct certificate such that when you get abroad people will be rushing after you just the way they do to our footballers wherever they go, people love them and we also have direct jobs in the industry where we’ll also get them contact for direct jobs and we’ll also place them in the market place where people will see them and request for their services” the DG ITF stressed

Dr. Oluwatoyin – Ogun therefore advised beneficiaries of the SUPA Programme to uphold patriotism , honesty and intergrity towards realizing the objectives of the programme

“The beneficiaries of SUPA Programme should be honest because we have seen a lot of ghost artisans where they will tell us they have facilities to train 200 people in their centres and will turn out to be false and this is mostly experienced in tailoring therefore we’re urging them to be patriotic and embrace honesty as we commence the 2026 edition of the training programme” the DG ITF added

Some participants at the screening exercise who commended the Industrial Training Fund for giving them the opportunity to have international recognition in their trade areas expressed the hope that the SUPA Programme would further make them employers of labour.

Matthew Ayoola, Edited By Grace Namiji