FG Launches Six-Month Digital Academy to Train 32,000 Nigerians

The Federal Government has launched a six-month Digital Training Academy designed to equip 32,000 Nigerians with digital skills, professional certifications and pathways into employment and entrepreneurship.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced the programme on Tuesday, describing it as part of efforts to close Nigeria’s digital skills gap and prepare more citizens for opportunities in the global technology-driven economy.

The academy is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme and is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, said the ministry received 72,850 applications from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Of that number, 19,699 applicants met the stated entry requirements.

The ministry said 16,000 beneficiaries were selected for the inaugural cohort, while the full intervention is expected to reach 32,000 Nigerians. Participants will have access to international learning platforms and opportunities to obtain recognised professional certifications.

Training will cover high-demand fields including software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing, IT automation, natural language processing and quantum computing.

Beneficiaries will also have access to platforms such as Coursera and Pluralsight, as well as certification opportunities from global technology companies and organisations including Google, IBM and Huawei.

The government said it would provide computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors to support the programme. The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria and Yaba College of Technology.

The ministry said the academy would go beyond skills acquisition by tracking participants’ certifications, employment and enterprise outcomes. The government said the goal is to create a measurable link between digital training and economic opportunities for Nigerians.