ITF Gains Global Boost as 22 Staff Become Certified Examiners

Yemi Kosoko in Jos

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has strengthened Nigeria’s technical and vocational skills ecosystem with the certification of 22 of its staff — including a Director, Mrs. Olayinka Shodunke — as international examiners of the City & Guilds of London Institute.

The development follows the ITF’s recent approval as a City & Guilds Approved Examination Centre, a status formally confirmed in a letter dated November 1, 2024, by the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer, Kirstie Donnelly, MBE. The approval empowers the Fund to deliver, assess, and certify globally recognised qualifications across multiple technical fields.

With the new certification, the ITF can now administer City & Guilds examinations for Levels 2 and 3 diplomas in key trades such as Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Engineering Maintenance Technology, Housekeeping Services, Food Preparation and Culinary Arts, Basic Plumbing, ICT Systems and Principles, Bricklaying, and IT Systems Support.

Mrs. Shodunke, who leads the ITF’s Standardisation, Certification and Consultancy Services Department, described the achievement as a major leap for the Fund. She credited the Director‑General, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, for what she called his “reform‑driven leadership” and strategic push to align the ITF with global standards.

She noted that the certification would significantly enhance the federal government’s Skill‑Up Artisans (SUPA) Programme, which the ITF is implementing to train, retrain, certify, and license artisans to international standards.

“With City & Guilds certification now available within the ITF system, SUPA trainees will earn qualifications recognised across the world,” she said. “This means our artisans will not only be skilled but globally competitive, able to access decent jobs anywhere with dignity and internationally benchmarked credentials.”

She added that producing certified examiners internally reduces reliance on external assessors, strengthens quality assurance, and boosts the employability of Nigerian trainees, as City & Guilds qualifications remain highly valued by employers globally.

The ITF says the milestone marks a new phase in its mission to build a globally competitive Nigerian workforce.