The Nigerian government has opened applications for organisations and individual experts to join the delivery network of its Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy announced the development on Wednesday in Abuja, saying N4 billion in partner funding was earmarked to support verified outcomes in Cohorts 5 and 6, according to a statement.

The 3MTT Delivery Network would bring together organisations and individual experts to train Nigerians in digital and technical skills.

“Working with 3MTT, they help more Nigerians gain the skills employers need and move into jobs, freelance work or their own businesses,” the statement said.

Cohort 5 was funded by the European Union and Denmark through GIZ Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria, HAUS and ESTDEV. The programme also received a grant from the MacArthur Foundation through Blue Sapphire Hub.

According to the ministry, the support advances a demand-led, results-based model linking technical skills development to evidenced opportunities and financing to verified outcomes.

Cohort 5 builds on lessons from previous cohorts by shifting the programme’s focus from expanding training numbers to meeting demonstrable industry demand, with more than 1.8 million Nigerians registered on the 3MTT platform since 2023 and 179,000 fellows trained across four cohorts and the DeepTech programme.

More than 300,000 Nigerians have benefited from the programme through its wider community resources and opportunities, with the programme implemented with more than 200 partner organisations across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The ministry said it was also inviting employers, funders, technology companies, state governments and research organisations to join the wider 3MTT Partner Network, and applications were open to organisations and individual experts in Nigeria and abroad through delivery.3mtt.gov.ng.

Cohort 5 funding applications could be submitted individually or through consortia led by organisations registered and operating in Nigeria. The deadline for funding applications is 11:59 p.m. on November 30. However, membership of the delivery network would remain open, with applications reviewed quarterly.

Applications would undergo membership reviews, with successful applicants admitted as Enabled Delivery Partners or selected as Funded Delivery Partners under Cohort 5.

The minister, Bosun Tijani, said achieving the three million target required a delivery ecosystem responsive to industry demand, accessible across communities, and capable of scaling, and described Cohort 5 as an important milestone in that direction.

(NAN)