As more Nigerians turn to digital platforms to find service providers, communicate with businesses and make payments, artisans are increasingly being confronted with the need to combine traditional skills with basic digital knowledge.
It was against this backdrop that hundreds of artisans and skilled workers from different trades gathered in Ibadan on August 22, 2026, for a community-focused digital skills workshop designed to help them navigate the changing business environment.
The initiative was led by technology entrepreneur Temitope Ajibola, who brought together electricians, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, painters, air-conditioning technicians and other skilled professionals for practical sessions on the use of digital tools in their businesses.
The programme, supported by the Ibadan North Local Government under the leadership of Executive Chairman Hon. Oluwaseun Olufade, focused on areas including online customer acquisition, personal branding, pricing, financial literacy, digital payments, customer service and the use of emerging artificial intelligence tools.
Participants were also introduced to ways of establishing a digital presence and communicating more effectively with existing and prospective customers.
For artisans who have traditionally depended on referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations, the growing influence of digital platforms presents both an opportunity and a challenge. While technical competence remains central to their trades, visibility and ease of communication can increasingly influence how potential customers find and engage service providers.
Ajibola said the workshop was motivated by the need to broaden conversations around digital inclusion beyond people working directly in the technology sector.
“Having a skill is one thing; knowing how to position that skill in today’s digital economy is becoming equally important,” he said. “Technology should create opportunities not just for people already working in tech, but also for the skilled professionals who keep our homes, businesses and communities running.”
His approach to the initiative centred on making digital knowledge relevant to the everyday realities of artisans, rather than treating technology as a specialised field reserved for professionals in the sector.
The workshop also featured contributions from technology and professional-development practitioners who worked directly with participants.
Stephen Oyerinde, a technology professional who facilitated part of the training, said the objective was to help artisans understand how available tools could complement the skills they already possess.
“The goal is not to turn artisans into technology experts,” Oyerinde said. “It is to help them understand the tools that can make their existing businesses more visible, efficient and competitive.”
Folorunsho David also supported sessions focused on professional development and talent, engaging participants on customer relations, professional presentation and business growth.
The involvement of Ibadan North Local Government provided a community-level dimension to the initiative, linking digital skills development with the economic realities of artisans and other workers in the informal sector.
For some participants, the lessons appeared to have immediate practical relevance.
Jamiu Alabi, a plumber who attended the workshop, said the experience had changed his approach to running his business.
“This has really improved me,” Alabi said. “I’ve gotten new customers since the training, and I’m happy about that.”
Ajibola said the experience reinforced the need for artisans to be included in discussions around Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“The people who build, repair, maintain and service our communities should not be left behind in the digital transformation,” he said. “If we are serious about building an inclusive digital economy, artisans and other skilled professionals must be part of that conversation.”
The workshop provided participants with practical training and certifications, while highlighting the wider challenge of extending digital inclusion to workers outside Nigeria’s formal technology ecosystem.
As digital platforms increasingly shape how businesses attract customers, receive payments and maintain relationships, the experience of the artisans in Ibadan points to the growing importance of ensuring that digital-skills programmes also reach workers whose livelihoods depend on practical trades and informal businesses.
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