The Federal Government has committed more than ₦10.5 billion to the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a six-month programme targeting 32,000 Nigerians with digital skills and internationally recognised certifications.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday, September 14, 2026, in Abuja at the official launch of the academy. He said the initiative was designed to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve employability and connect Nigerians to opportunities in the global digital economy.
According to the minister, the programme is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and will provide free training through global learning platforms, including Coursera and Pluralsight. Beneficiaries will have access to certification pathways involving major technology companies.
Alausa said the government’s objective was not simply to increase the number of Nigerians with certificates but to connect training with employment, enterprise and higher productivity.
The training will cover areas including software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing, IT automation, fintech, product management, natural language processing, parallel computing and quantum computing, according to the DTA platform.
The programme has already attracted significant interest. National Coordinator of the Special Projects and Innovation Unit of the Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, said on September 9, 2026, that 72,850 applications were received from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory between August 17 and September 1.
Onibanjo said 19,699 applicants met the qualifying benchmark, while 16,000 were selected for the inaugural cohort.
The Federal Government said the academy will eventually provide 32,000 free learning opportunities nationwide. Its official platform states that training centres with internet access and learning devices are also being established across the country to support Nigerians who may not have personal devices.
The academy is expected to complement existing government skills initiatives, including the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme. The government also plans to link trained Nigerians to employment opportunities through the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), including remote work for international companies and clients.
Alausa said on September 14 that about 2.2 million job vacancies currently exist globally across relevant technology fields, arguing that Nigerians with the required skills could take advantage of such opportunities while working from the country.
The minister said the academy was part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to connect education with practical skills, employment and economic opportunities.
