FG Launches N10.5bn Digital Training Academy to Equip 32,000 Nigerians With Free Tech Skills, Global Certifications

The Federal Government has launched a N10.5 billion Digital Training Academy, DTA, to equip 32,000 Nigerians with free digital skills, professional certifications and pathways to employment and entrepreneurship in the global digital economy.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the official launch of the academy, saying the initiative is a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, NESRI, through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure, NEDI, programme.

According to the Minister, the six-month intervention is designed to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve employability and enable Nigerians to compete globally and work remotely for companies and clients around the world without leaving the country.

"Today, we are not merely unveiling an online learning portal. We are opening a new pathway to opportunity for thousands of Nigerians. We are connecting talent to world-class learning, learning to certification, and certification to productive work, enterprise and national development," Alausa said.

*Applications and Selection*

Dr. Alausa disclosed that the Academy received 72,850 applications from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory between August 17 and September 1, 2026. Of the number, 19,699 applicants met the entry requirements, while 16,000 Nigerians were selected for the inaugural cohort. The programme targets 32,000 beneficiaries in total, with subsequent phases to accommodate the remaining.

Beneficiaries will receive free training through global learning platforms, including Coursera and Pluralsight, and will pursue internationally recognised certifications from organisations such as Google, IBM and Huawei.

To ensure inclusion, the Federal Government has partnered with the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, and Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, to provide access centres, computers, internet connectivity, facilitators and mentors for learners without personal devices or reliable internet.

The Minister said success will not be measured by enrolments alone, but by certification, employment and enterprise outcomes, adding that the Academy will complement existing programmes such as the 3 Million Technical Talent, 3MTT, programme and the National Talent Export Programme, NATEP.

The Federal Government committed over N10.5 billion to the initiative and solicited support from professional bodies, academia and international partners to sustain it.