The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, Dr Afiz Ogun, has said Nigerian artisans will play a crucial role in driving and sustaining the economic objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ogun stated this on Saturday in Akure, Ondo State, during the inauguration of the Nigeria Artisans for the Renewed Hope Initiative, a platform established to galvanise support for the President ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The event drew artisans and trade representatives from across the six geopolitical zones of the country, with organisers indicating plans to expand the initiative nationwide.
Speaking at the gathering, the ITF boss described artisans as a vital pillar of the Nigerian economy, noting that the current administration had demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to skills development and vocational empowerment.
According to him, artisans had contributed significantly to national development for decades but had not received the level of recognition and support now being provided under the Tinubu administration.
He said the President’s policies on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and workforce development were aimed at boosting productivity and positioning Nigerian artisans to compete globally.
Ogun also announced a N3.6bn business incubation programme designed to support skilled workers, particularly tailors, across the country.
He explained that beneficiaries would receive industrial sewing machines, specialised equipment, business support and entrepreneurship training after undergoing competency assessments.
The ITF chief said the initiative was structured to go beyond the distribution of tools by equipping participants with the knowledge and mentorship required to build sustainable enterprises.
“This programme is not just about providing equipment. It is about creating successful business owners through training, mentorship and enterprise development,” he said.
Ogun further disclosed that the Fund was collaborating with the International Labour Organisation to provide internationally recognised certification and continuous capacity-building opportunities for artisans.
He added that the agency had intensified investments in technology-driven vocational training through the establishment of digital fabrication centres across the country.
According to him, a digital metal fabrication centre is already operational in Lagos, while similar facilities are being developed in Ondo, Edo, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom and Kano states.
The centres, he said, would enable artisans to design and manufacture products using modern technology, thereby enhancing innovation and productivity.
The ITF Director-General maintained that vocational skills remained one of the most effective tools for tackling unemployment and poverty, urging Nigerians to embrace competence and innovation as pathways to economic prosperity.
He also called on citizens to assess political leaders based on performance and capacity rather than ethnic or regional considerations.
Speaking at the event, President of the Ondo State Artisan Group, Adefiranye Gbenga, pledged the support of artisans for the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Gbenga said members of the association were aligned with the administration’s economic agenda and would continue to mobilise support for policies aimed at strengthening skills development, enterprise growth and job creation.
He expressed confidence that ongoing investments in vocational training and artisan empowerment would improve livelihoods and create greater economic opportunities for Nigerians.
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