No fewer than 32,000 Nigerians are set to benefit from a new six-month Digital Training Academy launched by the Federal Government to equip participants with high-demand technology skills, professional certifications and pathways to jobs and entrepreneurship.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the initiative was designed to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap and prepare citizens to compete in the rapidly expanding global digital economy.
The programme is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme and aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the ministry received 72,850 applications from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Of the applicants, 19,699 met the entry requirements, while 16,000 beneficiaries have been selected for the inaugural cohort, according to the ministry.
The Federal Government said the six-month Digital Training Academy would ultimately train 32,000 Nigerians, giving participants access to international learning platforms and globally recognised professional certifications.
Training will focus on some of the world’s fastest-growing technology fields, including software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing.
The ministry said beneficiaries would have access to global learning platforms such as Coursera and Pluralsight and pursue professional certifications from technology companies and organisations including Google, IBM and Huawei.
A statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the government would provide the infrastructure and human resources needed to make the programme effective.
These include computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors.
The intervention is being implemented in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria and Yaba College of Technology.
The ministry said the programme would go beyond classroom training by tracking participants’ progress from certification to employment and enterprise creation.
“The Ministry will track certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure a measurable pathway from skills to productive opportunities,” the statement said.
The government said the initiative was particularly important as businesses and public institutions increasingly adopt digital systems, creating growing demand for workers with technology-related skills.
It added that the academy formed part of its broader strategy to improve employability among young Nigerians, promote entrepreneurship and enable more citizens to benefit from opportunities in the global digital economy.
