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 seeks to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, disclosed that 72,850 applications were received from the 36 states and FCT, with 19,699 meeting the entry requirements and 16,000 selected for the inaugural cohort.

Training will cover high-demand areas including software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing. Beneficiaries will access global platforms including Coursera and Pluralsight and pursue recognised certifications from organisations such as Google, IBM and Huawei.

The Government will provide computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors through partnerships with NOUN and YABATECH.

The Ministry will track certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure a measurable pathway from skills to productive opportunities.

Boriowo FolasadeDirector, Press and Public Relations