The Federal Government has launched the Digital Training Academy, a national platform designed to equip 32,000 Nigerians with free access to high-quality digital and professional training in partnership with global learning providers Coursera and Pluralsight.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Monday, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa said the academy is not merely an online learning portal but a new pathway to opportunity that connects talent to world-class learning, learning to certification, and certification to productive work, enterprise and national development.
He described the initiative as an integral part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, powered by the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative, (NESRI) and driven by the President’s conviction that every Nigerian, irrespective of location, background or economic circumstance, deserves access to quality education and skills for the modern economy.
Alausa said the Federal Government will provide training in several high-demand areas including software development methodologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning, IT automation, cyber security, cloud computing, natural language processing and quantum computing.
“These are not abstract subjects. They are fields shaping contemporary workplaces, transforming industries and creating new opportunities for employment and enterprise across the world,” he said.
According to him, the objective is to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap, improve employability and enable more citizens to take part in the digital economy, while offering learners the competitive edge both within Nigeria and across the global marketplace.
To ensure equity, the Minister said access centres equipped with internet connectivity and learning devices are being made available across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory so that citizens without personal devices or reliable internet can participate fully.
“The target of 32,000 enrolments and 32,000 certificates is ambitious, but the true value of the Academy will not be measured by numbers alone.
” It will be measured by the graduate who secures meaningful work, the teacher who uses digital tools more effectively, the entrepreneur who improves productivity, the young person who builds a technology-enabled business, and the professional who gains the confidence to compete globally while contributing to Nigeria’s development,” Alausa stated.
He urged beneficiaries to approach the programme with discipline and purpose, complete their modules and apply their knowledge to solving real challenges, adding that the Federal Government is investing in them because it believes in their potential.
The Minister also disclosed that the programme builds on existing government investments and partners with two sister ministries.
He cited the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s 3MTT programme focused on skilling three million technical talents, noting that students who have gone through it now have an opportunity to get global certification.
He also referenced the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment’s National Talent Export Programme, (NATEP) which will take the pipeline of students and place them in export jobs.
In her welcome address, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the academy is meant to keep alive the hope that education will lead to meaningful work.
She said the world is changing rapidly and employers now value graduates who possess practical, industry-relevant digital skills alongside degrees and diplomas.
She added that the aspiration is for a Nigerian graduate to leave institutions with a degree in one hand, practical skills in the other, and the confidence to compete anywhere in the world.
National Coordinator of the Special Programs Operations and Implementation Unit, SPOIU, Bayo Onigbanjo, who presented an overview of the academy, said the goal is to build a globally competitive, certified digital workforce.
He said the pioneer cohort will provide free government-funded training and that seats are allocated exclusively based on merit.
He noted that 72,850 students registered and took the pre-assessment, with 19,719 scoring above 65 percent and being moved into the pipeline.
He added that 20,000 licences were secured with Coursera and 12,000 with Pluralsight, and that 6,388 students have already signed up and started classes with 86 already certified.
Onigbanjo said cybersecurity was the most in-demand track with 9,525 students, representing 48 percent of sign-ups, followed by AI and machine learning at 30 percent.
He said the academy will track completion, certification and job placement as key performance indicators, stressing that the aim is not just to issue certificates but to ensure students are placed in jobs.
