The Chairman of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria, HTSSCN, Mr. Nkereuwem Onung has pledged to work with the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun to improve industrial tourism skills within the Nigerian tourism ecosystem.
Onung made the commitment during the official handover ceremony of the National Sector Skills Councils to the Industrial Training Fund, held at Skills House, Maitama, Abuja – the headquarters of the ITF.
The event marked a significant milestone for skills development and workforce transformation in Nigeria.
The handover formally ended years of institutional rivalry between the ITF and the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE over the regulation of Nigeria’s skills development system. The development unveils a new framework that clearly separates the responsibilities of both agencies.
The reforms were facilitated by the Office of the Vice President through the National Council on Skills. Under the new arrangement:
1. The ITF will administer the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework, NSQF, the Secretariat of the National Council on Skills, and the Secretariat of WorldSkills Nigeria.
2. The NBTE will focus exclusively on regulating formal technical and vocational education institutions.
The ceremony was attended by key leaders of Nigeria’s skills development ecosystem, including the DG of ITF, Dr. Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun; the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje; the Chairman of the Committee of Chairmen of Sector Skills Councils, A. B. Nagode; and other distinguished stakeholders.
The Chairman of HTSSCN, Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, attended with management staff of NIHOTOUR.
Declaring an end to the dispute, Prof. Bugaje said the two institutions had reached an agreement that clearly defines their respective roles.
“The conflict between NBTE and ITF over the regulation of the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework is over. ITF is now in charge of the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework. They are regulated on the overall, while NBTE will limit itself to education and educational institutions,” he stated.
The HTSSCN was recently inaugurated by the Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Aare Abisoye Fagade. It has the mandate to drive competency standards, curriculum enhancement, accreditation systems, labour market intelligence, and globally aligned certification frameworks for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Sector Skills Councils are saddled with providing industry leadership and ensuring that occupational standards remain aligned with labour market demands. This is to foster a highly skilled workforce that meets employer needs and drives national economic growth.