The Federal Government has enrolled 16,000 Nigerians into the first cohort of its Digital Training Academy (DTA), a free initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with globally recognised digital skills.
The National Coordinator, Special Projects and Innovation Unit (SPOIU), Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, disclosed this on Wednesday at a media briefing in Abuja ahead of the national launch of the academy scheduled for September 14, 2026.
Onibanjo said the academy attracted 72,850 applications from Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during its registration window, which opened on August 17 and closed on September 1.
He explained that 19,699 applicants met the qualifying benchmark, while 16,000 learners were selected for the inaugural cohort.
The Digital Training Academy is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure (NEDI) programme, a flagship intervention of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
According to the ministry, the initiative is designed to contribute to the development of a highly skilled workforce capable of competing effectively in the global digital economy.
Training for the first cohort will be delivered through international online learning platforms, Coursera and Pluralsight.
The ministry said the programme aligns with the human capital development objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda and forms part of the Data and Digitalisation pillar of NESRI.
Onibanjo quoted the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, as describing the academy as “the next phase of President Tinubu’s commitment to building a highly skilled workforce capable of competing in the global digital economy.”
He said the enrolment of the first 16,000 learners represented the beginning of the academy’s national expansion plans.
“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,” Onibanjo said.
The ministry is expected to announce further details on the academy’s expansion and subsequent cohorts during the national launch on September 14.
The Federal Ministry of Education also acknowledged the support of the thousands of Nigerians who applied, as well as partner institutions and organisations, including the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Yaba College of Technology, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Coursera and Pluralsight.
The ministry urged the media to sustain public awareness and coverage of the programme as the Federal Government seeks to broaden access to world-class digital skills for young Nigerians across the country.
