The Federal Government has begun selecting candidates for the 2026 edition of its Skill-Up Artisans Programme as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s technical workforce and prepare skilled artisans for opportunities in the global labour market.
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), which coordinates the programme, said shortlisted applicants will undergo a nationwide screening exercise to assess their practical competence and eligibility before advancing to the next stage of training.
The exercise, according to the agency, will take place across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the ITF’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Thomas Ngor.
To ease participation, the screening has been divided into two phases based on the country’s geopolitical zones. Applicants from the North-Central, North-West and North-East will be screened between July 14 and July 17, while those from the South-East, South-West and South-South will undergo the exercise from July 21 to July 24.
Officials said screening centres have been established in each senatorial district nationwide to enable easier access for candidates.
“The Industrial Training Fund has concluded arrangements for the nationwide screening of shortlisted practising artisans for the 2026 Skill-Up Artisans Further Training Programme.
“The exercise will be conducted in two phases across the country. Screening for the Northern Zone, comprising the North-Central, North-West and North-East geopolitical zones, will hold from Tuesday, July 14 to Friday, July 17, 2026, while artisans from the Southern Zone, comprising the South-East, South-West and South-South geopolitical zones, will be screened from Tuesday, July 21 to Friday, July 24, 2026.”
ITF Director-General Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun said the initiative was introduced to improve the quality of technical skills among Nigerian artisans and address shortages in key vocational trades.
He noted that many industries now rely on foreign artisans because local workers often lack the specialised skills required to meet modern production standards.
“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.”
Ogun said the programme equips beneficiaries with up-to-date technical knowledge, exposes them to international best practices and prepares them for globally recognised certification.
He revealed that participants in the 2025 edition recently completed international certification examinations supervised by Alberk QA Technic of Türkiye in more than 20 vocational fields.
“The Fund recently concluded the international certification examinations for beneficiaries of the 2025 SUPA programme. The examinations, which were supervised by Alberk QA Technic of Türkiye, assessed thousands of artisans across more than 20 high-demand vocational and technical trades using internationally recognised standards.”
The ITF boss added that the Fund is expanding collaborations with additional international certification bodies to improve the global acceptance of Nigerian artisans’ qualifications.
He also disclosed that the incubation phase of the 2025 programme is set to begin, providing successful participants with mentorship, entrepreneurship support and business incubation services.
“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 urged shortlisted applicants to appear at their designated screening centres with the required documents, stressing that only candidates who successfully complete the exercise will proceed to the training stage.
