The Federal Government has announced plans to train 100,000 artisans across Nigeria in 2025 as part of a broader strategy to revamp the economy through skill acquisition and job creation.
Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr Oluwatoyin Ogun, made this known on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) Secretariat in Ondo State.
Ogun stated that the initiative reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to leveraging the skills of local artisans for national development and economic growth.
“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 will 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.
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.
The DG stated that ITF would also train technicians from special institutions and prepare them for industry standard in driving the industrial revolution of the president.
Also, Mr Adeshina Akinyemi, the National Coordinator of ASNAT, thanked Tinubu for aiming to drive the country’s economy through skill acquisition.
Akinyemi stated that since the inception of Tinubu-led administration, ITF had been poised to upgrade artisans to compete with their counterparts abroad.
