FG Begins Nationwide Screening for 2026 Skill Up Artisans Programme
The Federal Government has commenced the nationwide screening of shortlisted candidates for the 2026 Skill Up Artisans Programme (SUPA), as part of efforts to build a globally competitive workforce, bridge the country’s technical skills gap and reduce reliance on foreign artisans.
The Industrial Training Fund announced that the screening exercise will be conducted across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to assess the eligibility, competence and practical experience of shortlisted artisans before they proceed to the next phase of the programme.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the ITF Director of Press and Public Relations, Thomas Ngor.
According to the statement, the exercise will be conducted in two phases. Artisans from the North Central, North West and North East geopolitical zones will be screened from July 14 to July 17, while candidates from the South East, South West and South South zones will undergo screening between July 21 and July 24.
To ensure wider participation and ease of access, the screening will be held simultaneously across the three senatorial districts in each state and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking on the programme, the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund, Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said the initiative was designed to address the growing shortage of skilled artisans in Nigeria by equipping local craftsmen with modern technical knowledge and internationally recognised certifications.
He noted that many jobs in Nigeria’s artisanal sector were increasingly being taken by foreign workers because many local artisans lacked the contemporary skills demanded by industry.
According to Ogun, the programme aims to reverse the trend by exposing participants to modern technologies, international best practices and globally accepted certification standards.
He disclosed that the Fund had successfully concluded the international certification examinations for beneficiaries of the 2025 edition of the programme, describing the exercise as a major milestone in the government’s drive to develop a world class technical workforce.
“The examinations, 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,” he said.
The ITF boss added that the Fund was expanding its partnerships with additional international certification organisations to ensure Nigerian artisans obtain qualifications that are recognised globally, thereby improving their employability both within and outside the country.
Ogun also announced that preparations had been concluded for the incubation phase of the 2025 SUPA programme, which will provide beneficiaries with mentorship, enterprise development support and business incubation services to enable them establish sustainable businesses and create employment opportunities.
“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,” he said.
He urged all shortlisted candidates to report to their designated screening centres with the required credentials, stressing that only successful applicants would progress to the training stage.
The Skill Up Artisans Programme is one of the Federal Government’s flagship human capital development initiatives aimed at upskilling, certifying and licensing artisans across key sectors.
The programme is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s technical workforce, reduce unemployment and position local artisans to compete effectively in both domestic and international labour markets.