The Federal Government has introduced a six-month Digital Training Academy (DTA) to equip 32,000 Nigerians with digital competencies, professional certifications and opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship in the global technology economy.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the initiative in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the programme is intended to help close Nigeria’s digital skills deficit while creating wider access to opportunities in the technology-driven global economy.
The academy is being delivered through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative and is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, disclosed that the ministry received 72,850 applications from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Of the applicants, 19,699 met the stipulated entry requirements, while 16,000 beneficiaries were selected for the first cohort of the programme.
“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.
“Training will cover high-demand areas including software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing. Beneficiaries will access global platforms including Coursera and Pluralsight and pursue recognised certifications from organisations such as Google, IBM and Huawei”, the statement partly read.
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Participants will also have access to international learning platforms and opportunities to obtain recognised professional certifications.
The government said it would provide the facilities and personnel needed to run the programme, including computers, internet access, training centres, facilitators and mentors.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria and Yaba College of Technology.
Beyond digital training, the ministry said the academy would be structured to connect participants’ newly acquired skills with tangible economic opportunities.
“The Ministry will track certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure a measurable pathway from skills to productive opportunities,” the statement added.
The programme comes as demand for digital and technology-related expertise continues to grow, with businesses and government institutions increasingly adopting digital systems and services.
Through the academy, participants will receive training in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing.
The ministry said the intervention forms part of its wider efforts to address Nigeria’s digital skills gap by combining technical training and professional certification with practical routes into employment and entrepreneurship.