The Federal Government has unveiled a six-month digital training programme designed to prepare 32,000 Nigerians for opportunities in the fast-growing global technology economy, with participants set to receive industry-focused training, professional certifications and support towards employment or entrepreneurship.
The Digital Training Academy (DTA) was launched in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Education as part of efforts to tackle Nigeria’s growing digital skills gap and give more Nigerians access to technology careers and digital enterprise opportunities.
The programme is being implemented through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme, under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, and forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Interest in the programme has already exceeded the number of available spaces.
According to the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, the ministry received 72,850 applications from across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Of those applications, 19,699 candidates met the entry requirements, while 16,000 beneficiaries were selected for the academy’s inaugural cohort.
The government said the wider six-month intervention would ultimately equip 32,000 Nigerians with skills that can be applied in both the local and international digital economy.
Training will focus on technology fields where demand for skilled professionals continues to grow. These include 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, including Coursera and Pluralsight, while professional certification opportunities will be provided through global technology organisations such as Google, IBM and Huawei.
“The Federal Government has launched the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a six-month intervention of the Federal Ministry of Education designed to equip 32,000 Nigerians with globally relevant digital skills, professional certifications and pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and participation in the global digital economy,” the ministry said.
Rather than focusing only on classroom-based learning, the government said the academy would be supported with the infrastructure and personnel required to make the programme accessible to participants.
This includes computers, internet connectivity, designated access centres, facilitators and mentors.
The Federal Ministry of Education is implementing the initiative in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria and Yaba College of Technology. A key component of the programme is its focus on what happens after training. The ministry said it would monitor participants beyond the acquisition of digital skills by tracking their professional certifications, employment and enterprise outcomes.
“The Ministry will track certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure a measurable pathway from skills to productive opportunities,” the statement added.
The approach reflects the increasing importance of digital skills as businesses and government institutions expand their use of technology, creating demand for workers who can operate and develop digital systems.
For Nigeria, the government sees the expansion of digital skills as an opportunity to improve employability, encourage entrepreneurship and increase the country’s participation in the global technology and services market.
With courses covering areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing and quantum computing, the Digital Training Academy is also positioning participants for technology fields that extend beyond traditional digital literacy. The Federal Ministry of Education described the initiative as part of its broader effort to close Nigeria’s digital skills gap by combining training, internationally recognised certification and practical routes into employment and entrepreneurship.
