The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, Dr Afiz Ogun, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying the policies are beginning to produce results and predicting that Nigerians could be happier if the President wins another term in 2027.
Ogun made the remarks on Thursday in Jos during activities marking the 55th anniversary of the Industrial Training Fund and the third anniversary of his appointment as the agency’s Director-General.
The ITF boss acknowledged that many Nigerians are currently struggling with high living costs, particularly expensive fuel, but said he believed the government’s reforms were necessary to address longstanding weaknesses in the economy.
Ogun said he decided to speak in support of Tinubu after observing what he described as the mood of participants at the anniversary event, noting that he was aware of complaints about the cost of living.
He specifically defended two of the administration’s most controversial economic measures, namely the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market.
According to him, the previous subsidy arrangement was vulnerable to abuse, with subsidised petroleum products allegedly being diverted through smuggling networks instead of reaching Nigerians as intended.
He also argued that foreign exchange reforms were necessary to create greater stability and predictability for investors who previously faced difficulties planning around multiple exchange rates and sharp currency movements.
Ogun acknowledged that the reforms had initially intensified economic pressure, but argued that the resulting adjustment period should be viewed alongside what he described as signs of greater stability.
His comments come at a time when the Federal Government has increasingly shifted its messaging from defending the initial reforms to emphasising how economic gains can translate into lower living costs and broader prosperity.
President Tinubu said in his October 1 Independence Day address that reducing the cost of living had become the administration’s priority, with plans focused on lowering the cost of producing and transporting goods.
The President also said the economy had grown by more than four per cent in 2026 and pointed to lower inflation, improved foreign reserves, greater foreign exchange stability and stronger non-oil exports as signs of progress.
Government officials have similarly cited economic growth as evidence that the reforms are taking effect, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume reporting real GDP growth of 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with 3.9 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year.
However, economic indicators have not eliminated concerns over household purchasing power, with labour representatives and small-business operators previously arguing that improvements in headline indicators have yet to translate sufficiently into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
Beyond the broader economy, Ogun used the anniversary to highlight what he described as achievements recorded by the ITF during his three years in office.
He said the agency had expanded skills-development programmes, strengthened partnerships with local and international organisations, introduced digital reforms and trained hundreds of thousands of Nigerians through programmes including the Skill-Up Artisans initiative.
Ogun said another 200,000 artisans were targeted for training in 2026, while more than 7,000 artisans had undergone international certification examinations under the programme.
He added that the ITF had assessed 1,308 training centres and approved 776, while partnerships had been established with organisations including City & Guilds of the United Kingdom, Japan’s METI and AOTS, Dangote Group, Bank of Industry, NELFUND and the National Board for Technical Education.
The Director-General also pointed to Nigeria’s admission as the 83rd member of WorldSkills International and the establishment of a WorldSkills Academy in Abuja as developments intended to strengthen the country’s position in global vocational training.
Ogun further praised Tinubu’s approach to appointments, saying the President selected him in 2023 despite not having known him previously and describing the appointment as evidence of a search for capable professionals.
He urged Nigerians to look beyond ethnic and religious considerations when assessing political leadership and to focus instead on national development and measurable outcomes.
His comments effectively place the ITF leadership among government officials publicly defending the administration’s economic direction as the country moves closer to the 2027 general election.
While Ogun expressed confidence that the reforms would ultimately improve living conditions, whether Nigerians experience such improvements will depend on how economic growth, price stability, employment and household purchasing power evolve before the next election.