The Federal Government has announced plans to train 100,000 artisans across Nigeria in 2025 as part of efforts to revamp the economy through skill acquisition, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Ogun, disclosed this on Tuesday in Akure during the inauguration of the Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) Secretariat in Ondo State.
Dr. Ogun emphasized that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has prioritized harnessing the skills of Nigerian artisans for national development.
“The Skill Up Artisan Super is a very robust programme brought by President Bola Tinubu for artisans in Nigeria.
“He wants to make sure that the artisans in Nigeria are at par with their colleagues all over the world. He wants to make sure that the Nigerian artisans are up there.
“He promised you during his election that he would take care of you and come to your aid. He is doing exactly that now.
“This is the first time in the history of Nigeria that a president will remember the artisans. I want you all to support the programme.
“We started last year with 29,000 non-artisans and upgraded them to artisans.
“Now, we want to start with 100,000 artisans. We are upscaling them to international standards this year by the grace of God,” he said.
Tinubu reaffirms commitment to investment in the artisan sector
He noted that this marks the first time in Nigeria’s history that a sitting president is making such a focused investment in the artisan sector.
“Last year, we began by upgrading 29,000 non-artisans into skilled artisans,” Ogun added.
“Now, we are scaling up to train 100,000 artisans and raise them to international standards by God’s grace.”
According to him, the programme is also aimed at eradicating quackery among artisans in the country.
“Once the president removes quackery, all those things will end.
“When the artisans start gaining enormously from their sweat, then none of the artisans will go and start riding bike as a means of livelihood. It will stop naturally.
“The president wants it to stop, and it will stop. No more quackery in Nigeria. All the artisans will have their own practicing license.
“There will be dignity in labor. All the artisans will be able to stand bold and defend their vocation,” he said.
ASNAT expresses support for FG
He further noted that the ITF would extend its training to technicians from specialized institutions to align with industry standards and support President Tinubu’s industrial revolution agenda.
In his remarks, Mr. Adeshina Akinyemi, National Coordinator of ASNAT, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for driving economic transformation through skill development.
Akinyemi noted that since the inception of the Tinubu administration, the ITF has been committed to upgrading Nigerian artisans to compete globally.
