The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a new network of African master trainers aimed at strengthening work-based learning systems, enhancing skills development, and expanding access to decent employment opportunities across the continent.
The network was unveiled during a five-day workshop held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 25 to 29 May 2026. The event brought together 20 trainers from several African countries to develop practical training tools tailored to evolving labour market demands.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Director Vanessa Phala, ILO Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, emphasised the growing importance of skills development in a rapidly changing world of work.
The initiative seeks to improve technical and vocational education and training (TVET), deepen employer participation in workforce development, promote high-quality apprenticeship programmes, and support more inclusive skills development systems. The programme forms part of the Strategic Skills Partnership Initiative for Innovation and Excellence in Vocational Education and Training, implemented by the ILO and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).
According to the ILO, participants at the Abuja workshop drew on their expertise in skills development and apprenticeship systems to co-create training modules designed specifically for African labour market realities. The modules address key challenges affecting work-based learning systems, including employer engagement, sustainable financing, quality apprenticeship delivery, stronger collaboration between training institutions and businesses, as well as gender equality and inclusion.
The organisation stated that the training package will support capacity-building efforts among technical and vocational education institutions, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and other stakeholders involved in skills development across Africa. Members of the newly established network will also facilitate training programmes within their respective countries and professional communities.
The ILO noted that work-based learning, including apprenticeships and workplace training, remains essential for equipping young people and adults with skills aligned to labour market needs. However, access to quality learning opportunities continues to be limited in many countries.
“Skills are the defining element of our times – in a world of work in constant evolution,” Phala said. “Workplaces are, besides schools and communities, the most important spaces for learning throughout our lives and careers. Quality work-based learning is an enabler of productivity, innovation, and decent work,” Phala said.
The ILO explained that the Master Trainer Network is designed to strengthen countries’ capacity to develop, implement, and scale high-quality work-based learning programmes. The initiative is guided by the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208), and supports the objectives of the African Union Continental Technical and Vocational Education and Training Strategy 2025–2034.
According to the organisation, the training modules developed during the Abuja workshop will undergo virtual validation before being finalised and deployed through participating networks. Members of the network will also develop action plans to pilot and adapt the training materials in their home countries, supported by ongoing peer learning and collaboration through the Strategic Skills Partnership Initiative Africa platform.
The ILO described the Abuja workshop as a significant milestone in fostering stronger collaboration among skills development practitioners and institutions across Africa, helping to create more effective and inclusive work-based learning systems that support productive employment and decent work.
