BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
The Director-General and Chief Executive of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace skills acquisition programmes and take advantage of government-sponsored opportunities to improve their livelihoods and contribute to national economic development.
Ogun advised young people to move beyond criticism of government policies and actively participate in training initiatives designed to equip them with practical skills, enhance their employability and prepare them for available economic opportunities.
He made the call while speaking with journalists during the Day Two Night Dinner and Award Ceremony of the National Industrial Manpower Summit (NIMS) 2026 at the State House, Abuja, where individuals, institutions, traditional rulers and captains of industry were honoured for their contributions in various fields.
The ITF Director-General expressed concern that some young Nigerians spent considerable time on social media complaining about the country’s challenges without making sufficient efforts to benefit from available opportunities for personal development.
He encouraged youths to pay attention to announcements about government training programmes, register when applications open and demonstrate a willingness to acquire practical knowledge that could improve their economic prospects.
“I will encourage the youth to learn a skill. I will also encourage the youth that whenever they see a programme being announced for them by the government, they should trust the programme and go online if it is online and register,” he said.
Ogun stressed that skills acquisition remained an important pathway to economic independence, particularly as practical expertise and technical competence continued to play significant roles in industrial development, employment generation and business growth.
He urged young Nigerians to recognise that their participation in skills development programmes could help them become self-reliant and contribute to the country’s productivity.
“This is your own country. This is your own country, for God’s sake. Stand up and participate. Not all by complaining. Participate,” he said.
The ITF boss explained that the Federal Government was working towards a skills development system that prioritises practical competence, professional recognition and the ability of trainees to apply their knowledge productively.
According to him, the objective goes beyond enrolling participants in training programmes to ensuring that beneficiaries acquire relevant skills, demonstrate their competence and receive the necessary support to establish sustainable businesses.
Ogun disclosed that the ITF had trained more than 200,000 artisans, noting that the programme involved digital registration, practical training and examinations leading to international certification.
He explained that the initiative was designed to improve the quality of artisan training and ensure that participants could demonstrate the practical abilities required in their respective trades.
“We are now giving them exams for international certification, not local certification. Your brother is not going to mark it, your sister is not going to mark the exam. People outside that you do not know will mark the exam,” he said.
The Director-General said the government was prioritising quality over the number of people enrolled in training programmes, maintaining that the ultimate objective should be to produce skilled workers who could make meaningful contributions to the economy.
“This government wants quality, not just numbers and numbers and numbers. If we are able to certify, even if it is one person, and we train the person well, certify well, empower the person, we know surely that this person will contribute to the economy of Nigeria,” he stated.
He explained that professional certification would help artisans establish their credibility, improve their prospects of securing employment and gain the confidence of customers seeking skilled service providers.
Ogun also disclosed plans to introduce a digital marketplace through which Nigerians would be able to locate artisans according to their locations, areas of specialisation and reviews from previous customers.
Using the ride-hailing business model as an example, he explained that the proposed platform would make it easier for customers to identify and select artisans while providing qualified professionals with greater visibility.
“You will be on our marketplace, just like Uber. You are looking for plumber, plumbers in Surulere. You see them, you pick based on the review,” he said.
According to him, the proposed marketplace would form part of a broader framework involving professional licensing and a database of artisans across the country.
The system is expected to help customers identify artisans with the relevant skills while encouraging service providers to maintain professional standards and accountability.
Ogun further disclosed that artisans who successfully complete the required training and certification processes could benefit from business incubation, government support and access to financing opportunities, including loans through the Bank of Industry (BOI), subject to applicable requirements.
He said the support framework was intended to help skilled workers turn their expertise into sustainable businesses, create employment and contribute to the growth of local industries.
The ITF chief executive added that developing a competent artisan workforce could also reduce dependence on foreign technical workers for services that qualified Nigerians could provide.
He maintained that the government’s broader human capital development agenda was aimed at equipping Nigerians with the skills needed to participate meaningfully in economic activities and respond to the demands of a changing industrial environment.
Ogun described the National Industrial Manpower Summit as outstanding, noting that the programme had improved compared with the previous edition.
“Awesome and outstanding. Better than last year, and continuing to be better,” he said.
He also expressed delight at receiving an award during the summit’s dinner and award ceremony, describing the recognition as encouraging, particularly because of his involvement in organising the event.
“I’m happy, very, very happy for receiving this award. I’m part of this summit. I’m part of it. I’m the co-host of this summit, and I’m happy that I have been recognised. I have been awarded,” he said.
The Day Two Night Dinner and Award Ceremony of NIMS 2026 brought together individuals, institutions, traditional rulers and captains of industry for recognition of their contributions across various sectors.
The summit also provided a platform for discussions on skills development, industrial manpower, human capital advancement and strategies for improving Nigeria’s productivity.
Ogun’s message to Nigerian youths was that acquiring practical skills and participating in available training opportunities could open pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and economic independence.
He maintained that the success of skills development initiatives would ultimately depend on the willingness of young Nigerians to participate, acquire relevant competencies and use their training to build productive and sustainable livelihoods.
