The federal government says it launched a digital training academy, a six-month intervention to equip 32,000 Nigerians with globally relevant digital skills, professional certifications, and pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and participation in the global digital economy.

In a statement on Tuesday, education ministry spokeswoman Boriowo Folasade said the programme was implemented under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative through the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme.

She said the academy aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and seeks to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap.

Education minister Tunji Alausa disclosed that 72,850 applications were received from the 36 states and FCT, with 19,699 meeting the entry requirements and 16,000 selected for the inaugural cohort.

“Training will cover high-demand areas including software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, cloud computing, IT automation, Natural Language Processing and quantum computing,” Mr Alusa said.

He stated that beneficiaries will access global platforms including Coursera and Pluralsight and pursue recognised certifications from organisations such as Google, IBM and Huawei.

“The government will provide computers, internet connectivity, access centres, facilitators and mentors through partnerships with NOUN and YABATECH,” he noted.

He added that the ministry will track certification, employment and enterprise outcomes to ensure a measurable pathway from skills to productive opportunities.