Speaking at the Industrial Training Fund and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association Stakeholders’ Dialogue Forum and 2023/2024 Outstanding Trainees’ Awards Ceremony in Abuja, Minister of State for Finance Doris Uzoka‑Anite said Nigeria’s long‑term prosperity depends on empowering its youthful population with practical, industry‑relevant skills. She stressed that as the country moves into the second phase of economic reforms—following President Bola Tinubu’s removal of petroleum‑product subsidies and FX market liberalisation—an industrial boom is expected, driving growth toward the $1 trillion economy target.

“The true measure of a nation’s wealth lies not beneath the ground but in the minds, hands and hearts of its people,” Uzoka‑Anite said. “Skill, creativity and resilience transform natural resources into real prosperity. The ability to train, equip and empower citizens determines productivity, innovation and global competitiveness.”

She praised the ITF‑NECA Technical Skills Development Project as a shining example of public‑private partnership, noting that over 100,000 youths have already been enrolled in the Skill Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) launched in 2024. SUPA provides training in construction, ICT, renewable energy, automotive services and manufacturing, equipping trainees for employment or entrepreneurship.

The Minister highlighted progress under SUPA, saying it bridges the gap between informal skills and formal certification while promoting entrepreneurship and financial literacy. She added that the Federal Ministry of Finance, together with other economic ministries, is prioritising investment in human capital, private‑sector incentives for apprenticeship, funding for TVET, and entrepreneurship financing through development institutions.

Uzoka‑Anite commended private‑sector leaders and multinational firms for supporting youth training and mentorship, noting that such efforts complement government initiatives to tackle unemployment—a rate that stood at 5.2 % in Q1 2025, with youth unemployment accounting for nearly two‑thirds of that figure.

ITF Director‑General Toyin Afiz reported that 60,000 Nigerians have benefited from the TSDP in the past 16 years, and NECA’s Director‑General Adewale‑Smart Oyerinde said beneficiaries were trained in 35 trade areas, upgrading several federal educational institutions.

The partnership between ITF, NECA and the government’s SUPA scheme is being viewed as a model for sustainable job creation and productivity‑led growth. “For Nigeria, technical and vocational skills are not merely alternatives to formal education; they are pathways to dignity, productivity and national competitiveness,” Uzoka‑Anite concluded.