The Federal Government has launched the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a six-month digital skills development programme aimed at equipping 32,000 Nigerians with globally relevant 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 programme was designed to address Nigeria’s digital skills gap and prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the global digital economy.
Alausa disclosed that the ministry received 72,850 applications from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with 19,699 applicants meeting the entry requirements.
According to him, 16,000 beneficiaries have been selected for the inaugural cohort, while the broader intervention targets 32,000 Nigerians.
The training will focus on high-demand digital fields, 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 global technology companies and organisations, including Google, IBM and Huawei.
The Federal Government will provide computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors to support participants throughout the programme.
The ministry said the initiative would be implemented in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
It added that beneficiaries would be monitored beyond the training stage, with the ministry tracking certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to establish measurable pathways from digital skills acquisition to productive opportunities.
The Digital Training Academy, according to the ministry, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen digital capacity and expand Nigerians’ participation in the global digital economy.