TECHNICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (TSDP)

Industrial Training Fund (ITF)

The Industrial Training Fund was established in 1971 under Decree 47 of 1971 (as amended by ACT, 2011) to:

• provide, promote and encourage the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce with a view to generating a pool of indigenous trained manpower sufficient to meet the needs of the private and public sectors of the economy;
• provide training for skills in management for technical and entrepreneurial development in the public and private sectors of the economy;
• set training standards in all sectors of the economy and monitor adherence; and
  evaluate and certify vocational skills acquired by apprentices, craftsmen and technicians in collaboration with relevant organisations.

The Decree (now Act) stipulates two sources of funding; which are:

• Subventions from the Federal Government; and
• Training Contributions amounting to 1% of the Pay Roll of employers that have 5 workers and above or less than 5 employees but with a turnover of N50m and above per annum.

Consequently, the Fund has had to depend mainly on the revenue from contributing employers whose membership is largely under NECA and within the OPS since its inception.

NECA

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association is the umbrella organisation of employers in the Organised Private Sector (OPS) of Nigeria.

It was established in 1957 to provide the forum for the government to consult with private sector employers on socio-economic labour policy issues.

NECA, thus, provides a platform for private sector employers to interact with government, labour, communities and other relevant organisations, in and outside Nigeria, for the purpose of promoting harmonious business environment that will engender productivity and prosperity for the benefit of all.

The Strategic Objectives of NECA includes the promotion of sustainable enterprise and economic development through capacity building and empowerment programmes.