By Golok Nanmwa, Jos
The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has graduated 50 trainees in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) under its 2026 Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP) in Jos, Plateau State.
The graduation ceremony, held at the ITF Centre for Excellence, Jos, marked another milestone in the Fund’s efforts to develop skilled manpower, promote youth employment and equip Nigerians with relevant technical and vocational skills.
The programme is designed to bridge critical skills gaps in the country’s labour market by providing beneficiaries with practical knowledge and competencies required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The initiative also seeks to promote entrepreneurship, improve employability and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial capacity through strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors.
The development is part of the broader transformation agenda being pursued by the Director-General of the ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, who has intensified efforts to reposition the Fund as a leading institution for technical and vocational skills development in Nigeria.
Under his leadership, the Fund has embarked on several initiatives aimed at modernising its operations, strengthening its training programmes and aligning vocational education with international standards and the changing demands of the labour market.
One of the major achievements of the current ITF leadership is the establishment of the WorldSkills Academy in Abuja and Nigeria’s admission as the 83rd member of WorldSkills International, a development expected to provide Nigerian artisans and technical professionals with opportunities to compete on the global stage.
The Ogun-led management has also intensified efforts to reform the Sector Skills Council system to make it more industry-driven, ensuring that employers play greater roles in identifying skills requirements, developing occupational standards and improving the quality of technical training across the country.
Similarly, through programmes such as the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA), the Fund is strengthening the capacity of Nigerian artisans through improved screening, training and certification, with a view to making them internationally competitive.
The ITF-NECA Technical Skills Development Project, which has been running since 2009, remains one of the Fund’s major interventions in addressing unemployment through industry-driven technical and vocational training.
The partnership provides beneficiaries with opportunities to acquire practical skills, gain workplace experience and develop entrepreneurial abilities needed to establish businesses or secure employment.
The latest graduation in Jos further underscores the importance of sustained investment in human capital development as Nigeria seeks to tackle unemployment, strengthen its economy and build a skilled workforce capable of meeting emerging industrial and technological demands.
