By Adenike Lawal
To boost economic growth and professionalize the informal sector, the Federal Government has announced plans to train 100,000 artisans across the country in 2025.
The initiative, under the “Skill Up Artisan Super” programme, was unveiled by the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Ogun, during the inauguration of the Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT), Secretariat in Akure, Ondo State.
Dr. Ogun described the programme as a flagship project of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration aimed at empowering skilled workers, curbing quackery, and aligning Nigerian artisans with global best practices.
“This is the first time in Nigeria’s history that artisans are receiving this level of focused attention from the Federal Government,” she said, adding that “Our objective is to standardize and professionalize artisan trades by offering formal training, certification, and licensing to raise both the quality and dignity of skilled work.”
According to the ITF boss, the government is building on the success of the previous year’s programme, which transitioned 29,000 unskilled individuals into trained artisans.
“We are scaling up. Our goal is to equip 100,000 artisans in 2025 with not only technical know-how but also the confidence to compete globally,” she said.
Beyond technical training, the initiative also seeks to address economic challenges that have pushed many artisans into less sustainable jobs, such as commercial motorcycling.
“When artisans earn what they deserve, they won’t abandon their trades out of frustration,” Dr. Ogun noted.
The ITF also plans to expand the programme to include technicians from specialized institutions, aligning their training with current industry demands and contributing to President Tinubu’s broader vision of an industrialized Nigeria powered by local expertise.
Speaking at the event, ASNAT National Coordinator, Mr. Adeshina Akinyemi, commended the administration for its commitment to skilled labor, describing the initiative as timely and transformative.
“This government has shown that it understands the importance of artisans in national development,” Akinyemi said. “With the support of ITF, Nigerian artisans are on their way to becoming globally competitive professionals.”
The training programme is being hailed as a major step toward revamping the informal sector, unlocking job opportunities, and driving grassroots economic development through the power of skilled labour.
