ILO and ITF to develop skills and entrepreneurship in Nigeria

ABUJA (ILO News): The International Labour Organization (ILO), Abuja Country Office and Industrial Training Fund (ITF) of Nigeria, signed, on Thursday 1st September 2016, a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their strategic cooperation in developing skills and entrepreneurship in the country.

The official document was signed by Mr Dennis Zulu on behalf of the ILO while Mr Dickson C. Onuoha, Ag. Director-General, ITF signed on behalf of his organization.

At ITF Office in Abuja, the Ag General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) - Mr. Dickson Onuoha, acknowledged the long standing relationship between the ITF and ILO, which yielded many benefits to the ITF such as the establishment of the in-plant training scheme and the capacity building program for the ITF staff. He expressed gratitude for the revived commitment of both parties which culminated in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding which he believed would help the ITF achieve more.

He mentioned the importance of the ITF as an agency with a national mandate to develop human capacities in Nigeria with over 40 years’ of experience in human capital development. He reiterated the Fund’s relevance, especially due to the Federal Government’s mandate of industrialization and economic development, adding that the ITF was committed to discharging its responsibility of skills development and entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths.

He recognized the contributions of the ILO worldwide and requested the ILO to support ITF in its quest to expand skills training, in order to tackle the current problems of unemployment and underemployment.

In his response, Mr. Dennis Zulu commended the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, saying that providing technical and advisory support to member states to develop human resources was part of the ILO mandate. In order to achieve the objectives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the right kind of human resources’ trainers must be in place to be able to inculcate the right kind of knowledge to the trainees. He said the ITF was important to Nigeria as it is responsible for delivering the necessary skills needed to help the Federal Government achieve its mandate of jobs creation.

He congratulated the ITF for its desire to constantly evolve with the changing dynamics in skills development, in order to meet with the demand of skills in the labour market. He informed the ITF that the ILO was currently supporting the Federal Government of Nigeria to review the National Employment Policy (NEP) which was expected to address all the issues relating to employment in Nigeria.

He stated that the ITF has the capacity to halt irregular migration that has resulted the death of many Nigeria youth in the Mediterranean, through skills, entrepreneurship training and financial empowerment for setting up of businesses.

The ILO Director expressed the ILO’s readiness to work with the Government of Nigeria to establish Labour Market Information System (LMIS). Dennis Zulu applauded the ITF for its endeavor to not only provide skills training, but also provide people with entrepreneurial aptitudes, stating that when young people are able to apply their skills and knowledge to business, they automatically become employers of labour, contributing to the creation of jobs across the region.

Background information

The ITF is an Agency of Federal Government of Nigeria whose main thrust is to stimulate human performance, improve productivity, and induce value-added production in industry and commerce. Through its Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) and Vocational and Apprentice Training Programmes, the Fund also builds capacity for graduates and youth self-employment, in the context of Small Scale Industrialization, in the economy. Its vision is to be the foremost Skills Training Development Organization in Nigeria and one of the best in the world.