No fewer than 100,000 participants in the second phase of the Industrial Training Fund’s (ITF) Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) programme are expected to sit for soft skills examinations on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
The examinations, to be conducted nationwide by the Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria (CIPMN), will assess trainees’ knowledge in project management, occupational health and safety, and professional ethics — key modules designed to align artisans’ skills with global standards.
Speaking ahead of the exercise, the Director-General of the ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, reiterated the Fund’s commitment to training, certifying, and licensing Nigerian artisans with internationally recognized qualifications.
“Our goal is to build an indigenous workforce capable of competing with their global peers,” Dr. Ogun said, stressing that global certifications would help reduce unemployment and tackle related socio-economic challenges by equipping artisans with marketable skills.
He explained that the SUPA programme’s certification framework incorporates internationally accredited qualifications aimed at enhancing the employability of trainees. According to him, the ITF has already secured approval from City & Guilds London as one of its examination centres in Nigeria and is in advanced talks with ALBERK QA TECHNIC of Turkey and other global bodies to broaden the range of certifications available.
“These certifications, aligned with global standards, will enable Nigerian artisans to take up job opportunities abroad, leveraging the nation’s youthful population of over 70 million to export skilled labour and earn foreign exchange for the country,” Dr. Ogun added.
The DG outlined the SUPA certification process as a three-tier structure: the Foundation phase for basic skills assessment, SUPA I for soft skills development culminating in tomorrow’s CIPMN examinations and SUPA II for advanced technical training.
He noted that successful trainees would be issued certifications validating their skills for direct employment, international placement, or self-employment.
Dr. Ogun commended the Chartered Institute of Project Management of Nigeria for its role in implementing the SUPA programme, describing CIPMN as a “steadfast partner” since inception and expressing confidence in the credibility of the examinations it will oversee.
