Govt commits ₦10.5bn to digital training academy for 32,000 Nigerians

The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated over N10.5 billion to establish the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a program aimed at providing 32,000 Nigerians with globally recognized digital and professional skills. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, unveiled this initiative at its official launch in Abuja, emphasizing its role in addressing Nigeria's digital skills gap and enhancing employability.

The DTA, under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), offers free access to training via platforms like Coursera and Pluralsight, focusing on high-demand areas such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, software development, IT automation, fintech, product management, natural language processing, and quantum computing.

Alausa highlighted the program's goal of connecting training and certification to employment, entrepreneurship, and productivity, rather than merely issuing certificates. The government has set up access centers nationwide to assist beneficiaries without personal computers or reliable internet access. Alausa also noted that the DTA would complement existing government initiatives like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP).

He explained that graduates of the 3MTT program could obtain globally recognized certifications through the DTA, while NATEP would facilitate international job opportunities for skilled Nigerians. Alausa stressed that government efforts should be collaborative rather than isolated, emphasizing the program's role in bridging Nigeria's skills gap and enabling citizens to participate in the global digital economy.