The Federal Government has unveiled a N10 billion investment in digital skills training targeted at equipping 32,000 Nigerians with globally recognised certifications and connecting them to employment opportunities in the digital economy.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the launch of the Digital Training Academy, a national platform designed to provide free digital and professional training to Nigerians under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).

Alausa said the programme, being implemented in partnership with global learning providers, including Coursera and Pluralsight, would equip beneficiaries with skills in software development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, IT automation, cybersecurity, cloud computing, natural language processing and quantum computing.

He said the initiative was designed not merely to increase the number of Nigerians with digital certificates but to translate training into jobs, enterprise and higher productivity.

“Our objective here is very clear: to bridge Nigeria’s skills gap, improve employability and enable more of our citizens to take part in the digital economy,” the minister said.

According to him, the programme has set a target of 32,000 enrolments and 32,000 certificates, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that beneficiaries can apply their competencies to secure employment, support businesses and compete in the global marketplace.

Alausa said the government had also made provision for access centres equipped with internet connectivity and learning devices across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that lack of devices or reliable internet would not prevent Nigerians from participating.

He said the Digital Training Academy would complement other government initiatives, particularly the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The minister explained that beneficiaries of 3MTT would have the opportunity to obtain global certifications through the new academy, while NATEP would provide a pathway for the trained talent to access export jobs.

“The students who have gone through the programme now have an opportunity to get global certification. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment recently launched the National Talent Export Programme, which will be able to take this pipeline of students and place them in export jobs,” he said.

Alausa said the government’s investment would ultimately be measured by the economic outcomes generated by the beneficiaries, rather than the number of certificates issued.

He listed such outcomes to include graduates securing meaningful employment, entrepreneurs improving productivity, young Nigerians building technology-enabled businesses and professionals acquiring the capacity to compete globally.

The minister urged beneficiaries to approach the programme with discipline and commitment, stressing that the government was investing in their potential and expected them to translate their new skills into solutions for real-world challenges.

He also called on employers, technology companies, professional bodies, educational institutions, development partners, and state governments to create internship, mentorship, project-based learning, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for participants.