The Enugu State Government has allocated land in the state capital for the establishment of a Digital Fabrication Centre by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) as part of efforts to strengthen technical skills, innovation and local manufacturing.

Governor Peter Mbah approved the allocation following a visit by a delegation from the ITF to the Enugu Government House. He described the proposed centre as part of his administration’s strategy to position the state as a destination for investment, technology and industrial development.

Mbah said the growing influence of digital technologies on traditional industries makes it necessary to equip young people with technical skills that can prepare them for the future of work.

He noted that Enugu has already incorporated technical education into its basic education system, with areas such as digital literacy, robotics and mechatronics receiving greater attention.

The governor also said the state has established smart schools equipped with robotics centres, mechatronics laboratories and other modern learning facilities.

According to him, the proposed ITF centre will complement these efforts by strengthening technical training, encouraging innovation, supporting local manufacturing and creating employment opportunities for young people.

ITF Targets Internationally Competitive Artisans

The Director-General of the ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, said the organisation is working to improve the skills of Nigerian artisans and bring them closer to international standards.

He pointed to the Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) Programme, which is designed to train, certify and licence artisans while improving the quality of technical services available in the country.

Ogun said the ITF had already established a Digital Fabrication Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, with the capacity to produce more than 400 different products.

The Fund is seeking to establish a similar facility in Enugu, with comparable production capacity.

Centre to Support Local Manufacturing

The proposed facility is expected to combine digital technologies with manufacturing and technical training.

The ITF said the initiative is intended to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported products while preparing workers for opportunities created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and computer-aided manufacturing are increasingly changing how products are designed, developed and manufactured.

The ITF believes that developing these capabilities locally could help Nigerian artisans and young people compete in a more technology-driven economy.

Ogun also expressed the Fund’s willingness to work with private-sector organisations through public-private partnerships (PPPs) to expand opportunities within Nigeria’s artisanal and technical workforce.

The ITF delegation subsequently visited one of Enugu State’s smart schools to assess some of the facilities already being developed by the state.

The planned Digital Fabrication Centre therefore represents more than another skills-training facility. If properly implemented, it could strengthen the connection between technical education, digital manufacturing, entrepreneurship and employment in Enugu.

For Nigeria, the bigger challenge will be ensuring that investments in technical infrastructure translate into practical skills, locally produced goods and sustainable employment rather than remaining isolated projects.

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Fountain Havens Limited, a Lagos-based real estate firm, has raised concerns over the shortage of skilled artisans in Nigeria’s housing sector, describing it as a major obstacle to timely and high-quality project delivery.

Speaking at the handover of eight newly completed affordable luxury apartments in Lagos, the company’s Head of Sales and Business Development, Ruona Oghuvbu, said the project was completed within 17 months despite inflationary pressures and economic challenges.

Oghuvbu noted that the lack of qualified artisans has forced many developers to hire workers from neighboring countries like Benin Republic. He, however, welcomed the government’s recent policy on free access to technical education as a step toward addressing the skills gap.

He commended improvements in building approval timelines but criticized the high costs involved, urging the government to provide single-digit loans and simplify land title registration.

The new development features four units of four-bedroom semi-detached and four units of five-bedroom fully detached apartments, each with two boys’ quarters, a swimming pool, gym, ample parking, and top-tier security.

Oghuvbu reaffirmed Fountain Havens’ commitment to timely, cost-efficient, and high-quality project delivery, while calling for greater government support and promotion of local materials in construction.

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