The Federal Government has committed more than N10.5 billion to a Digital Training Academy aimed at equipping 32,000 Nigerians with digital and professional skills required to compete in the global economy.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the official launch of the academy.
Alausa said the initiative was established to address the country’s digital skills gap, improve employment opportunities and strengthen the capacity of Nigerians to participate in the growing digital economy.
He explained that beneficiaries would receive free training through international learning platforms, including Coursera and Pluralsight.
The minister said the programme would provide training in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, software development, IT automation, fintech, product management, natural language processing and quantum computing.
“Our objective here is very clear: to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap, improve employability and enable more of our citizens to take part in the digital economy,” Alausa said.
According to him, the programme would go beyond issuing certificates by linking training to employment, entrepreneurship and improved productivity.
He added that access centres had been established across the country to assist participants who lacked personal computers or dependable internet connections.
The minister said the Digital Training Academy would also complement existing government initiatives, including the 3 Million Technical Talent programme and the National Talent Export Programme.
Alausa noted that participants who had completed the 3MTT programme could use the academy to obtain internationally recognised certifications, while NATEP would help connect qualified Nigerians to opportunities in the international labour market.
“This is how government programmes should work: together, not in silos,” he said.
The minister urged beneficiaries to make effective use of the opportunity, stressing that the government’s investment should result in jobs, businesses, higher productivity and other economic benefits.
“Today, we’re not merely unveiling an online learning portal. We’re opening a new pathway to opportunities for thousands of Nigerians,” Alausa said.
The academy’s portal indicates that 32,000 learners are expected to participate and receive certificates across more than 10 skill areas, with access available in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Applicants are expected to create accounts using their National Identification Numbers, complete their profiles and undergo a pre-assessment before commencing training based on their results.
The Federal Government had earlier selected 16,000 Nigerians for the first cohort from 72,850 applications received between August 17 and September 1, 2026.
