The Industrial Training Fund has opened a new fuel station in Jos, Plateau State, a move the agency said would improve access to petroleum products, particularly for its staff, while expanding its footprint in Nigeria’s economic development.
The Director-General of the ITF, Dr Afiz Ogun, who commissioned the fuel station on Monday, said the newly launched facility would improve fuel availability in the state.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ogun said the project was part of a broader welfare initiative he promised when he assumed office.
“I begin in the name of God, the Almighty, our Creator. My journey in this compound started on the 17th of October, 2023. The very next day, I went round and promised you happiness. The first year was a big battle. People asked, ‘Where is the happiness?’ But I chose to learn from you. You are my teachers”, Ogun said.
On the fuel station, the DG explained how the idea came about. “When I came in, I saw this place like a small forest, and I learnt it was a fuel dump for ITF vehicles. I decided we needed more. Today, we are commissioning a fuel station for all ITF staff. With your staff ID card, you can buy fuel, and payment will be deducted in bits from your salary. This is for everyone, from the lowest to the highest.”
Ogun said the facility was one of several projects under his administration. “This commissioning is just the first of many. We are also commissioning about 24–25 flats. Coming up next is West Africa’s first Digital Fabrication Centre in Ogbomoso, and Nigeria’s first Skills Academy for high school students.”
He linked the project to national priorities, stating, “Some people are benefiting from the poverty many Nigerians are facing, but Mr President is determined to address the challenge and bring the situation to an end.”
The DG also highlighted the ITF’s mandate beyond the fuel station. “Nigeria is talking about dual education. ITF is showing the example. We are not just training technical skills. We are also teaching entrepreneurship, patriotism, ethics, safety and project management. We are raising a new generation of 21st-century artisans, starting with our own children.”
He further announced plans to establish new centres across the country. “Ceramics in the North Central, leather in the North West, metals in the South East, offshore fabrication in the South, and more. We are even looking at a large building in Bauchi for a new centre.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director of the Estate Management Department, Dauda Msheliza, gave an overview of the project and tied it to the DG’s three-point agenda.
“Ladies and gentlemen, when the Director-General assumed office three years ago, he anchored his administration on three key pillars: skills acquisition, automation of ITF work processes, and the welfare of the ITF workforce. Today’s event is proof that those pillars are being delivered,” Msheliza said.
He explained that the station sits “on a 2,150-square-metre area that was previously abandoned and underutilised. Recognising the need to revive it, the Director-General, Dr Afiz Oluwatoyin Ogun, under his Renewed Hope Agenda, directed that the facility be rehabilitated and modernised into a functional fuel station. The contract was awarded on May 16, 2025. The contractor mobilised immediately and completed the work in March 2026.”
Msheliza added that “the facility is designed to dispense Premium Motor Spirit with a capacity of 47,600 litres. There is also provision for Compressed Natural Gas, which is yet to be installed.”
He commended all those involved in the project. “My sincere appreciation goes to the Estate Department for coordinating the project, to the consultants, the contractor, and all departments and stakeholders who made this possible. Today, we celebrate the transformation of an abandoned facility into a modern, functional fuel station that will improve the operational efficiency of the Industrial Training Fund.”
The DG, in his closing remarks, urged staff to remain focused. “People talk about ITF today. We talk a lot because we are trainers, and trainers must talk. When people send me rumours and publications, I say, ‘Ignore.’ Look at us today — we are happy, and we will continue to be happy. My advice is simple: Ignore rumours. Trust your union. It may be slow, but substance will come at the end of the day.”