The Federal Government has launched a six-month Digital Training Academy (DTA) aimed at equipping 32,000 Nigerians with globally relevant digital skills, professional certifications and pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.
The initiative, launched by the Federal Ministry of Education, is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure (NEDI) programme.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the academy was designed to help bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap and prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the global digital economy.
Alausa disclosed that the programme attracted 72,850 applications from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with 19,699 applicants meeting the entry requirements.
He said 16,000 beneficiaries had been selected for the inaugural cohort, with the remaining beneficiaries expected to be accommodated in subsequent phases of the intervention.
The training will focus on high-demand areas, including software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing.
Participants will also have access to international learning platforms such as Coursera and Pluralsight, while pursuing professional certifications from globally recognised organisations, including Google, IBM and Huawei.
The Federal Government will provide computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors to support the beneficiaries throughout the training.
The programme will be implemented in partnership with institutions including the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
According to the ministry, it will also track participants’ certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure that the training translates into measurable economic opportunities.
The Digital Training Academy is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen digital education, expand access to skills development and position Nigerians to compete in the global digital economy.
