The Industrial Training Fund, ITF, has called on employers, industry associations, training institutions and development partners to take greater responsibility for strengthening Nigeria’s Sector Skills Councils, SSCs, as part of efforts to align skills development with industry needs and promote sustainable economic growth.
Director-General of ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, made the call in Abuja at the second edition of the National Sector Skills Councils’ Meeting, organised as part of the Fund’s ongoing efforts to reposition the councils for greater relevance, effectiveness and sustainability.
The meeting, held at the ITF Skills House, had the theme, “From Assessment to Action: Advancing the Transition to Industry-Led and Sustainable Sector Skills Councils,” with the German Society for International Cooperation, GIZ, participating as an international observer.
Declaring the meeting open, Ogun said the ITF remained committed to driving conversations and initiatives aimed at strengthening the governance, relevance, industry participation and sustainability of the councils.
He recalled that stakeholders at the inaugural edition agreed on a baseline assessment to establish a clearer understanding of the existing capacities, challenges and opportunities of the various councils.
According to him, the current meeting was designed to translate the findings of that assessment into practical actions that would strengthen the councils rather than discard existing structures and achievements.
“Today, we move from assessment to action. The objective is not change for its own sake, nor is it to diminish the contributions of existing councils. Rather, we seek to build on the structures and experience already available, address identified gaps and establish a credible pathway towards stronger, genuinely industry-led and sustainable Sector Skills Councils,” he said.
Ogun stressed that meaningful industry ownership was critical to the success of the transition, noting that employers and industry associations must take the lead in identifying skills priorities, developing occupational standards, supporting workplace learning and contributing to sustainable financing.
He added that training institutions, government agencies and development partners also had complementary responsibilities in building a coordinated national skills development ecosystem.
“The baseline assessment is therefore a tool for informed decision-making, not an end in itself. I expect our deliberations to translate evidence into realistic transition pathways, clear responsibilities, measurable milestones and practical support requirements,” he said.
The ITF director-general urged participants to approach the process with openness and a shared commitment to Nigeria’s industrial development, stressing that ambitious objectives must be matched with pragmatic and inclusive implementation strategies.
He reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the relationship between skills development, industry demand, employability and productivity.
Ogun further challenged delegates to identify specific actions required to advance the transition, the institutions and individuals responsible for delivering them, and the timelines for implementation.
Presentations were delivered by representatives of the Hospitality and Tourism, Creative Media, Building, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Power, Care, Education and Training, Agriculture, and Traditional Medicine Sector Skills Councils, as well as the Geriatric Skills Council.
In their separate remarks, representatives of the councils, including Dr Bukola Dosumun of the Care, Education and Training Sector Skills Council, Dr Samson Opaoluwah of the Building Sector Skills Council and Mr Nnaemeka Ude-Emeh of the Oil and Gas Sector Skills Council, commended the ITF for its efforts to reposition the councils.
They called for sustained stakeholder support and collaboration to achieve the Fund’s objectives, particularly in strengthening the contribution of the councils to national industrialisation and economic development.
Also speaking, a GIZ expert, Mr Jonathan Osadolor, identified employer-responsive training as critical to achieving the objectives of the Sector Skills Councils.
Osadolor pledged GIZ’s capacity-building and technical support to the ITF, expressing the organisation’s readiness to work with the Fund towards repositioning the councils for improved skills development and national industrial growth.
