……….Alausa: Academy links digital skills and global certifications to employment, entrepreneurship and opportunities worldwide
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.
Implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure (NEDI) programme, the Academy aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and represents a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and future workforce.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, described the Academy as more than an online learning platform, saying it was a deliberate intervention to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap and connect Nigerian talent with world-class learning, recognised certification and productive opportunities.
Dr. Alausa disclosed that 72,850 applications were received from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory between August 17 and September 1, 2026. Of these, 19,699 applicants met the entry requirements, while 16,000 Nigerians were selected for the inaugural cohort, with the programme targeting 32,000 beneficiaries.
He said training would be delivered through global learning platforms, including Coursera and Pluralsight, in high-demand areas such as software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, IT automation, cloud computing, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing, with opportunities for globally recognised credentials from organisations including Google, IBM and Huawei.
The Minister stressed that the objective went beyond certificates, saying success would ultimately be measured by beneficiaries’ ability to secure meaningful employment, create and grow enterprises, improve productivity and compete effectively in the global labour market. He emphasised that the initiative was designed not simply to prepare Nigerians to leave the country, but to enable them to work from Nigeria while competing successfully in the global marketplace.
To promote inclusion, the Federal Government is providing computers, internet connectivity and study infrastructure through access centres across the 36 states and FCT, in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), with live facilitators and mentors supporting learners. The learner journey includes National Identification Number registration, profiling and pre-assessment, while the Ministry will track progression, certification, employment and enterprise outcomes.
Dr. Alausa said the DTA would complement the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, strengthening the pathway from education and skills development to productive work and international opportunities.
In her welcome address, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, said the Academy represented an important step in strengthening the connection between education and the changing demands of the world of work. She noted that while degrees and diplomas remained important, young Nigerians increasingly required practical, industry-relevant digital competencies and recognised professional certifications to translate their education into meaningful economic opportunities.
Prof. Ahmad said the Academy would give beneficiaries access to globally relevant learning and certifications that could strengthen their employability, expand career opportunities and enhance their ability to compete confidently in the global economy. She urged the beneficiaries to approach the programme with discipline, consistency and purpose, stressing that the skills acquired should be applied to real-world challenges and used to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development.
The Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, commended the initiative, noting that it complemented NATEP and its “Hire from Nigeria” programme, which connects Nigerian professionals and service providers with international employers and buyers and targets one million export-linked, digitally enabled jobs by 2027.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Senator Mohammed Dandutse, urged Nigerian youths to use the Academy to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and technical proficiency and assured support for research and innovation initiatives.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, described the initiative as a significant step towards equipping young Nigerians for education, employment, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, NOUN, Professor Christine Ofulue, conveyed the university’s support, describing the Academy as timely, strategic and forward-looking.
The Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said secure digital identity was critical to accessing education, employment and other digital-economy opportunities, describing the Academy as an investment in people and national capacity.
The National Project Coordinator, SPOIU, Mr. Bayo Onigbanjo, said the Academy would build a certified pipeline of digital talent. He disclosed that 10,000 Coursera licences had been activated for the first cohort, with 6,338 learners enrolled and 86 already commencing certification. He added that study centres, mentors and facilitators would support learners while outcomes would be tracked.
In her vote of thanks, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mrs. Olatunji Folake David, she described the Academy as a platform for Nigerian students and young people and expressed confidence that it would grow into a centre of excellence for digital literacy, teacher training and youth empowerment.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Academy creates a measurable pathway from learning to skills, skills to certification, and certification to work, enterprise and national development, while expanding access and tracking outcomes to deliver a skilled, innovative and globally competitive Nigerian workforce.
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
