2026 SUPA: ITF Sets Dates for Artisan Screening

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has concluded arrangements for the nationwide screening of shortlisted practicing artisans for the 2026 Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) Further Training Programme, as part of its continued commitment to developing a globally competitive workforce and advancing the Federal Government’s human capital development agenda.

The screening exercise is aimed at verifying the eligibility of shortlisted candidates and assessing their practical experience ahead of their admission into the 2026 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 take place from Tuesday, July 14 to Friday, July 17, 2026. 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.
To ensure wider participation and easy access, the screening will be held simultaneously across the three senatorial districts in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking on the exercise, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said the focus on practicing artisans was driven by the urgent need to improve the quality and competitiveness of Nigerian artisans in line with global best practices.
He explained that many opportunities in Nigeria’s artisanal sector are increasingly being taken up by foreign workers because many local artisans lack the modern technical skills required by industries.
According to the Director-General, the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) programme was designed to bridge this gap by equipping Nigerian artisans with modern technical competencies, internationally recognised certifications and industry-relevant skills that will enable them compete effectively both within Nigeria and in the global labour market.
Dr. Ogun disclosed that the Fund recently concluded the international certification examinations for beneficiaries of the 2025 SUPA programme.
The examinations, supervised by Alberk QA Technic of Türkiye, assessed thousands of artisans in more than 20 high-demand vocational and technical trades using internationally recognised standards.
He described the successful completion of the certification examinations as another major milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to produce globally certified artisans capable of meeting the manpower needs of modern industries.
The Director-General further revealed that the Fund was expanding its collaboration with additional international certification bodies to ensure Nigerian artisans obtained globally recognised qualifications that would improve their employability and mobility across international labour markets.
Dr. Ogun also announced that preparations had been concluded for the incubation phase of the 2025 SUPA programme. He explained that the incubation component would provide successful beneficiaries with mentorship, business development support and enterprise incubation services to help them establish sustainable businesses, create jobs and contribute to national economic growth.
He reaffirmed that the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) programme remains one of the Federal Government’s flagship human capital development initiatives being implemented by the Industrial Training Fund to upskill, certify and license Nigerian artisans.
According to him, the programme is strategically positioned to improve artisans’ productivity and competitiveness, expand employment opportunities in both local and international labour markets, and support Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda through the development of a competent, highly skilled and globally competitive workforce.
The Director-General urged all shortlisted applicants to report to their designated screening centres on the scheduled dates with all required credentials, noting that only successful candidates would proceed to the next stage of the programme.