The Federal Government (FG) has selected 16,000 Nigerians for the maiden cohort of its Digital Training Academy (DTA), as part of efforts to expand access to digital skills and prepare young people for opportunities in the global labour market.
The 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 academy’s national launch scheduled for 14 September 2026.
Onibanjo said the initiative attracted strong interest, with 72,850 applications received from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the application period from 17 August to 1 September 2026.
According to him, 19,699 applicants met the required benchmark, leading to the selection of 16,000 candidates for the first cohort.
The Digital Training Academy is a free government-backed program designed to provide Nigerians with access to digital courses and internationally recognized certifications through leading online learning platforms.
The program is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure Program, a major component of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the academy was established to address emerging skills gaps and develop a workforce capable of taking advantage of opportunities created by the digital economy.
Participants in the first cohort will receive training through Coursera and Pluralsight, two global online learning platforms.
Onibanjo said the academy would complement, rather than duplicate, existing government initiatives aimed at expanding digital skills and technology-based learning.
He added that the program was aligned with the human capital development objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the Data and Digitalization pillar of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
Quoting the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, Onibanjo said the academy marked a new phase in the government’s efforts to build a workforce capable of competing internationally.
Alausa described the initiative as “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 16,000 participants represented only the beginning of the program, which is expected to expand in subsequent years.
“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 launch comes amid growing demand for digital competencies, with employers increasingly seeking workers equipped with technology-related skills.
Young Nigerians are also increasingly pursuing careers in fields such as software development, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital marketing.
The ministry said details of the academy’s expansion and subsequent cohorts would be unveiled during the national launch on 14 September 2026.
It acknowledged the contributions of partner institutions and organisations, including the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Yaba College of Technology, National Open University of Nigeria, Coursera and Pluralsight.
The ministry also thanked the thousands of Nigerians who applied for the program and urged the media to help raise awareness about opportunities for digital education.
The government said the academy would broaden access to relevant digital competencies while advancing its wider human capital development agenda and preparing Nigeria’s youthful population for opportunities in the global economy.
