Alausa Says Academy Will Equip Beneficiaries With Globally Competitive Skills
The Federal Government has committed more than ₦10.5 billion to its Digital Training Academy (DTA), an initiative aimed at equipping 32,000 Nigerians with globally competitive digital and professional skills.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the official launch of the academy.
Alausa said the programme was designed to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve employability and prepare Nigerians to compete for opportunities in the global digital economy.
Implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), the programme will provide free access to training on platforms including Coursera and Pluralsight.
Training areas include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, software development, IT automation, fintech, product management, natural language processing and quantum computing.
Alausa said the initiative would go beyond training and certificates by linking skills development to employment, entrepreneurship and increased productivity.
He added that access centres had been established across the country to support beneficiaries without personal computers or reliable internet access.
The minister said the academy would complement government programmes such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and National Talent Export Programme (NATEP).
According to him, 3MTT graduates would have opportunities to obtain globally recognised certifications through the academy, while NATEP would help connect skilled Nigerians with international labour opportunities.
The DTA is expected to enrol 32,000 learners and award 32,000 certificates across more than 10 skill areas, with access available across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The government had earlier selected 16,000 Nigerians for the inaugural cohort from 72,850 applications received between August 17 and September 1, 2026.