The Nigerian government has launched a N10.5 billion Digital Training Academy (DTA) initiative to help enhance the digital skills of young Nigerians in a globally competitive economy.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said this in Abuja, Nigeria, at the official launch of the academy.
Alausa said the essence of the academy, which will see more than 32,000 youths trained in various digital skills, was to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap, improve employability and enable Nigerians to compete globally with their counterparts.
He said the initiative was a practical expression of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
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He said the academy would connect Nigerian talents to world-class learning, certification, productive work and entrepreneurship opportunities.
“The beneficiaries would receive six months of training through platforms such as Coursera and Pluralsight, alongside certifications from global technology companies.
“The programme would enable Nigerians to work remotely for companies and clients around the world without leaving the country,” he said.
Machine Learning
According to Alausa, the programme would focus on areas including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, fintech, product management and quantum computing.
The minister solicited the support of professional bodies, academia and international partners to ensure that the programme succeeds.
“Today, we’re not merely unveiling an online learning portal. We’re opening a new pathway to opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.
“We’re connecting talents to world-class learning, learning to certification and certification to productive work, enterprise and national development.
“This initiative is an integral part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which is powered by the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative,” said the minister.
Alausa said the Federal Government had partnered with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to provide study centres, internet access and facilitators for beneficiaries.
He said the arrangement was designed to address challenges faced by learners who might not have computers, internet access or suitable environments for online learning.
“The academy would also provide a pathway for beneficiaries of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme to obtain international certifications,” he said.
Alausa called on the youths to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the federal government to better their lives.
Investment in People
In a remark, the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, described the academy as an investment in people, knowledge and national capacity.
She said digital identity was critical to ensuring that Nigerians could securely access opportunities in education, employment, financial services and other areas of the digital economy.
“The DTA would provide job space that would build a one-trillion-dollar economy,” she said.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Mohammed Dandutse, on his part called on Nigerian youths to participate in the digital training to bridge the gap between theory and practicals to enhance proficiency.
He promised the Senate Committee willingness to support research and innovation that would enhance the livelihood of Nigerian youths.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke, called on beneficiaries to take advantage of DTA to “enhance their skills for national development.”
She expressed commitment of her ministry to making sure opportunities were given to Nigerians both at home and abroad.
She explained that the DTA initiative complements the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), which was designed to connect Nigerian talent with international employers and buyers.
She said NATEP and its partners recently launched “Hire from Nigeria” to connect Nigerian professionals and service providers with international opportunities.
She added that the programme aims to facilitate one million export-linked, digitally enabled jobs by 2027.
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