The Federal Government has launched a Digital Training Academy and selected 16,000 Nigerians for its maiden cohort as part of efforts to expand access to digital skills and improve the competitiveness of young Nigerians in the global labour market.
The National Coordinator, Special Projects and Innovation Unit of the Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media briefing ahead of the academy’s national launch scheduled for September 14, 2026.
Onibanjo said the initiative attracted significant interest, with 72,850 applications received from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the application period between August 17 and September 1.
According to him, 19,699 applicants met the required benchmark, from which 16,000 candidates were selected for the first cohort.
The Digital Training Academy is a free government-backed initiative designed to provide Nigerians with access to digital courses and internationally recognised certifications through leading online learning platforms.
The programme is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure Programme, a major component of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the academy is aimed at addressing emerging skills gaps and developing a workforce equipped to take advantage of opportunities created by the digital economy.
Participants in the first cohort will receive training through Coursera and Pluralsight, two global online education platforms.
Onibanjo said the academy would complement, rather than duplicate, existing government programmes focused on expanding digital skills and technology-based learning.
He added that the initiative aligns with the human capital development objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the Data and Digitalisation pillar of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
Quoting the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Onibanjo described the academy as a new phase in the government’s efforts to develop a workforce capable of competing internationally.
Alausa said the programme marked “the next phase of President Tinubu’s commitment to building a highly skilled workforce capable of competing in the global digital economy.”
Onibanjo stressed that the 16,000 participants represent only the first stage of a programme expected to expand in subsequent years.
“This cohort of 16,000 is DTA’s first, not its last. It represents a significant step toward the Academy’s national ambition, and it establishes the foundation, the systems, and the delivery partnerships on which subsequent cohorts will be built,” he said.
The initiative comes amid growing demand for digital competencies as employers increasingly seek workers with technology-related skills.
Young Nigerians are also increasingly pursuing careers in areas such as software development, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital marketing.
The Federal Ministry of Education said further details on the academy’s expansion and subsequent cohorts would be unveiled during the national launch on September 14.
The ministry acknowledged the contributions of partner institutions and organisations, including the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Yaba College of Technology, the National Open University of Nigeria, Coursera and Pluralsight.
The government said the academy would broaden access to relevant digital competencies while supporting its wider human capital development agenda and preparing Nigeria’s youthful population for opportunities in the global economy.
