The Federal Government has selected 16,000 Nigerians for the first cohort of its newly established Digital Training Academy, an initiative aimed at equipping young people with digital skills and internationally recognised certifications.
The National Coordinator, Special Projects and Innovation Unit of the Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media briefing ahead of the official launch of the academy on September 14, 2026.
Onibanjo said the programme received 72,850 applications from Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the application window between August 17 and September 1.
He explained that 19,699 applicants met the required qualifying benchmark, from which 16,000 participants were selected for the inaugural cohort.
The academy, which is free to participants, is designed to provide young Nigerians with digital training and opportunities to obtain globally recognised certifications through international online learning platforms.
Onibanjo said the first cohort would receive training through Coursera and Pluralsight, adding that the initiative was established to complement, rather than duplicate, existing government efforts in digital skills development.
He said the programme was being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme, a major intervention of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
According to him, the academy is also aligned with the human capital development objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on data and digitalisation.
Quoting the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Onibanjo described the initiative as an important milestone in the government’s efforts to develop a globally competitive workforce.
Alausa said the academy marked “the next phase of President Tinubu’s commitment to building a highly skilled workforce capable of competing in the global digital economy.”
Onibanjo stressed that the inaugural 16,000 participants were only the beginning of the programme, noting that the government planned to expand access through subsequent cohorts.
“This cohort of 16,000 is DTA’s first, not its last. It represents a significant step toward the Academy’s national ambition, and it establishes the foundation, the systems, and the delivery partnerships on which subsequent cohorts will be built,” he said.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the academy was part of broader efforts to close digital skills gaps and improve the employability of young Nigerians as demand for technology-related competencies continues to grow.
The ministry identified the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Yaba College of Technology, the National Open University of Nigeria, Coursera and Pluralsight among institutions and organisations supporting the initiative.
Further information on the expansion of the academy and subsequent cohorts is expected to be announced at the national launch on September 14.
