The Industrial Training Fund has begun a nationwide screening exercise for shortlisted artisans across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, deciding who gets into the next phase of the Federal Government’s Skill-Up Artisans Programme.
The process will sort people by eligibility, competence and practical experience before they’re allowed into advanced technical training. That’s the gatekeeping. The state sets the terms, names the standards, and decides which workers get access to the next rung.
Who Gets Through the Gate
The Fund said the screening will run in two phases. Artisans from the North-Central, North-West and North-East geopolitical zones will be screened between July 14 and July 17, 2026. Those from the South-East, South-West and South-South zones will undergo screening from July 21 to July 24, 2026. The exercise will happen simultaneously across the three senatorial districts in each state and the Federal Capital Territory.
Thomas Ngor, Director of Press and Public Relations of the ITF, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja. The language is tidy, bureaucratic, and familiar: nationwide, shortlisted, eligible, competent. Behind it sits a simple hierarchy. Some artisans are in. Others are out.
Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, said the programme was designed to address the growing skills gap in Nigeria’s artisanal sector and equip local craftsmen with the competencies needed to compete in both local and international labour markets. He said many employment opportunities in Nigeria’s artisanal sector were increasingly being filled by foreign workers because many local artisans lacked the contemporary technical skills required by industry.
That’s the pressure point. Workers at the bottom are told to adapt, certify, and prove themselves while the market keeps moving under their feet. The Fund says its intervention will reverse the trend by exposing artisans to modern technologies, international standards and globally recognised certifications.
What the Fund Calls Development
Ogun said the Fund had recently completed international certification examinations for beneficiaries of the 2025 edition of the programme. He described that as a major milestone in the government’s efforts to develop a world-class technical workforce. The examinations were supervised by Alberk QA Technic of Türkiye and covered more than 20 high-demand vocational and technical trades.
The Fund is also broadening its collaboration with additional international certification organisations so Nigerian artisans can obtain qualifications that enjoy global recognition and acceptance. That’s the route being offered: more credentials, more screening, more outside approval. The apparatus keeps the keys.
Ogun said the initiative would improve the employability of beneficiaries and increase their opportunities in international labour markets. He also announced that preparations had been completed for the incubation phase of the 2025 SUPA programme, which is expected to provide beneficiaries with mentorship, enterprise development support and business incubation services.
He said the objective is to empower successful participants not only to acquire skills but also to establish sustainable businesses capable of creating jobs and contributing to economic growth. The words are polished. The structure is blunt. First the screening. Then the certification. Then the mentorship. Then the business support. Only those who clear each checkpoint move on.
What They’re Calling Opportunity
Ogun said, “The incubation phase is a critical component of the programme because it goes beyond skills acquisition. It provides mentorship, business development support, and enterprise incubation services that will enable beneficiaries to establish viable businesses, create employment opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Our goal is not merely to train artisans but to develop successful entrepreneurs, employers of labour and globally competitive professionals who can drive Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda,” Ogun said.
He reiterated that the Skill-Up Artisans Programme remains one of the Federal Government’s flagship human capital development initiatives aimed at upskilling, certifying and licensing artisans across the country. He urged all shortlisted candidates to report to their designated screening centres with the required credentials, stressing that only successful applicants would advance to the next phase of the programme.
The PUNCH said the programme was introduced by the Industrial Training Fund as part of efforts to address skills shortages in Nigeria’s technical and vocational sectors. It seeks to improve the quality of artisans in key trades through training, certification and licensing. The broader strategy, according to the report, is to strengthen human capital development, reduce unemployment, improve productivity and position Nigerian artisans to take advantage of growing opportunities in domestic and international labour markets.
In recent years, concerns have grown over the influx of foreign artisans into construction, welding, electrical installation and industrial maintenance. The state’s answer is another round of selection, another round of credentials, another round of managed access to work.