The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has marked its 55th anniversary in Jos, with its Director-General and Chief Executive, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, highlighting the agency’s efforts to strengthen skills development and human capital in Nigeria.

Speaking at the anniversary ceremony, Ogun said the ITF had remained relevant since its establishment in 1971 by continuously responding to changes in the country’s economy and workforce.

He said the Fund had, over the past three years, expanded its skills acquisition initiatives, developed partnerships with local and international organisations, digitised some of its operations, improved staff welfare and invested in training infrastructure.

The ITF’s official records confirm that skills development remains at the centre of its mandate, with the agency providing professional, vocational, technical, managerial and entrepreneurial training programmes designed to address workforce needs.

One of the programmes highlighted at the anniversary was the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA), an ITF initiative aimed at improving the skills, certification and professional standing of artisans across the country.

The official SUPA platform describes the programme as an effort to upskill, license and empower artisans while promoting industry-standard practices and improving their access to employment opportunities.

SUPA also provides pathways for artisans to receive certified training in different trades, with the programme covering areas including technical skills, health and safety and other industry-related competencies.

Ogun said the Fund’s partnerships and skills initiatives were also intended to improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global labour market by bringing vocational and technical training closer to international standards.

The anniversary celebration also featured a goodwill message from the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Alhaji Bamanga Usman Jada.

Jada described the ITF as an important institution in Nigeria’s human-capital development efforts and praised the facilities at the ITF Centre of Excellence in Jos.

He said Nigeria’s long-term prosperity would depend significantly on the quality and productivity of its people, stressing that skills development would be essential to turning the country’s large population into a productive workforce.

Jada also called for continued support for initiatives that strengthen technical and vocational skills, particularly as Nigeria seeks greater investment, industrial expansion and economic growth.

The ITF was established in 1971 and operates under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Its current leadership under Ogun was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in 2023.

Beyond SUPA, the Fund continues to run programmes covering areas such as industrial training, entrepreneurship, workplace capacity building and the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

The anniversary brought together government representatives, industry stakeholders, development partners, private-sector representatives and ITF personnel to reflect on the organisation’s contribution to manpower development over more than five decades.

As Nigeria faces the challenge of preparing its growing workforce for changing industries and emerging technologies, the ITF says its focus will remain on equipping Nigerians with relevant skills while strengthening the connection between training and employment.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia