The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has initiated a process to reposition the Sector Skills Council (SSC) regime towards a more industry-led and sustainable model. This move aims to develop a system where industry defines skills needs, provides leadership, and contributes to occupational standards and curricula. The ITF Director General, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, stated this at the Maiden Stakeholders Meeting with Existing Sector Skills Councils in Nigeria, held in Abuja. The meeting brought together stakeholders to discuss the repositioning of the SSC regime.
Dr. Ogun emphasized that the success of the SSC system should not depend on government intervention or funding but on industry ownership and participation. He noted that the global economy is rapidly changing, with technology transforming occupations and industries adopting new production systems. Nigeria is not left out of these changes, with new occupations emerging and existing ones evolving. The ITF Director General stressed the importance of industry participation in skills development to ensure that training outcomes translate into productivity and economic value.
The Chairman of Chairmen, Sector Skills Council, Dr. Ahmed Bolaji Nagide, commended the ITF for the stakeholders meeting, describing it as a historic and epoch-making event. He noted that the agreed-upon template would bridge skills gap needs, boost industrial growth, and enhance national economic development. Dr. Nagide, also the Director General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, called for more public-private sector collaboration on skills development in the country.
Dr. Nagide described a vibrant, efficient, and effective Sector Skills Council as key to actualizing President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda in the area of economic growth. He emphasized the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to develop skills that meet industry requirements. The President, Sector Skills Council, Building, Dr. Samson Opaoluwah, also commended the ITF for the stakeholders meeting, saying it would serve as a transition towards ensuring a better and more productive Sector Skills Council for the country.
Dr. Opaoluwah enjoined participants to effectively support ITF's quest towards repositioning the sector for optimal performance. The stakeholders meeting aimed to strengthen the architecture through which Nigeria anticipates, develops, and applies the skills required for sustainable economic growth and industrial development. The ITF Director General appreciated the presence of stakeholders, noting that their participation represents an important step in the collective effort to enhance skills development in Nigeria.
The Sector Skills Councils occupy an important place in the conversation on skills development, as they provide a sector-focused mechanism for identifying skills needs and articulating industry requirements. The ITF's move to reposition the SSC regime reflects the recognition that skills development cannot be designed effectively without industry participation. The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the SSC system and potential solutions.
The repositioning of the SSC regime is expected to enhance skills development in Nigeria, boost industrial growth, and contribute to national economic development. The ITF's initiative has the potential to address the skills gap in various sectors, leading to increased productivity and economic value. Key stakeholders, including industry leaders and government officials, are expected to play a crucial role in the repositioning of the SSC regime.
Key points
- The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) seeks stakeholders' support to revamp the Sector Skills Council (SSC) regime towards a more industry-led and sustainable model.
- The SSC system should not depend principally on government intervention or funding but on industry ownership and participation.
- A vibrant, efficient, and effective Sector Skills Council is key to actualizing President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda in the area of economic growth.
