The Federal Government has launched a Digital Training Academy with 16,000 Nigerians selected for its inaugural cohort as part of efforts to equip young people with globally recognised digital skills and prepare them for opportunities in the digital economy.
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 national launch of the academy scheduled for September 14, 2026.
Onibanjo said the programme attracted 72,850 applications from Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the registration period, which ran from August 17 to September 1, 2026.
He explained that 19,699 applicants met the qualifying benchmark, while 16,000 candidates were eventually selected for the first cohort.
The Digital Training Academy is a free Federal Government-backed initiative designed to provide young Nigerians with digital training and access to globally recognised certifications through international learning platforms.
The programme is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme, a flagship intervention of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
According to the government, the initiative is aimed at addressing skills gaps within the education sector and developing a workforce capable of competing effectively in the global digital economy.
For the inaugural cohort, training will be delivered through Coursera and Pluralsight, two international online learning platforms.
Onibanjo said the academy would complement rather than duplicate existing government investments in digital skills development.
He added that the programme aligned 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 an important step in the government’s efforts to build a highly skilled workforce.
Alausa said the initiative represented “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 selection of 16,000 participants marked only the beginning of the academy’s planned expansion.
“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 government has increasingly focused on digital skills and technology-driven learning as part of efforts to improve the employability of young Nigerians and ensure that the country’s education system keeps pace with changes in the global labour market.
The ministry noted that digital competencies are becoming increasingly important to employers, while young Nigerians are pursuing opportunities in fields including software development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital marketing.
The Federal Ministry of Education said further details about the academy’s expansion plans and future cohorts would be announced during the national launch on September 14.
The ministry also 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.
It expressed appreciation to the thousands of Nigerians who applied for the programme and urged the media to continue creating awareness about opportunities aimed at expanding access to digital education.
The government said the academy would provide a platform for more Nigerians to acquire relevant digital competencies as it continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening human capital development and positioning the country’s young population for opportunities in the global economy.
