Lagos to Equip Over 1 Million Students with Digital Skills by 2030
The Lagos State Government has announced a plan to equip over one million students from state-owned tertiary institutions with digital skills, including AI training, by 2030.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
The Lagos State Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to equip over one million students from state-owned tertiary institutions with cutting-edge digital skills, including artificial intelligence (AI) training, by the year 2030. This initiative is part of the government’s strategy to upskill young people and enhance their employability in the evolving global workforce.
Mamud Hassan, the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Tertiary Education, disclosed the development, noting that the programme aims to build on the state’s ongoing efforts to boost digital literacy and prepare students from Lagos State's higher institutions for future job opportunities in a dynamic environment. According to Hassan, the ministry will soon kick off the second phase of what is termed “the Digital Capabilities Skills” project for students across state tertiary institutions.
Tolani Sule, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, said that the Lagos Digital Skills Initiative Programme, launched on Monday, is aimed at equipping the state’s young population with essential digital skills by 2030. Sule highlighted that the programme, tagged “Maximising the Transforming Capabilities of Artificial Intelligence in the 21st Century Workplace,” would provide participants with training in entrepreneurial skills development alongside core digital skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.
He further stated that the programme is a shift from traditional rote-based learning, which often leaves graduates struggling to translate their knowledge into practical skills, thereby hampering their employability in today’s rapidly changing job market.
The three-week training programme, scheduled to run from October 26 to November 12, 2024, will involve a cross-section of industry experts from key sectors of the economy, including captains of industry who will share insights and expertise. The participants will include students from Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHET), and Lagos State College of Nursing (LASCON).
The programme is expected to set a new standard in digital skills training, with outcomes matching some of the best in the world while expanding employment possibilities for graduates from the state's tertiary institutions.
