The Federal Government has entered into a partnership with Coursera to train Nigerian youths in high-demand digital skills, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, cloud computing, and software engineering.
The initiative, known as the Digital Training Academy (DTA), is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aimed at equipping young Nigerians with globally competitive skills for the digital economy.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during a signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the Education World Forum in London.
According to him, the programme reflects the government’s commitment to youth empowerment, innovation, and human capital development, noting that digital competency has become essential for success in today’s global economy.
Through the partnership with Coursera, participants will gain access to world-class training and internationally recognised certifications that are valued by employers across the world.
The programme will be implemented in collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to ensure nationwide access and effective learning support.
Dr. Alausa explained that NOUN’s nationwide structure will help expand access across all geopolitical zones, while YABATECH will provide industry expertise, facilitators, and mentorship support to participants.
He stressed that beyond access to training, proper mentorship, completion support, and accountability mechanisms are key to ensuring the success of the programme.
The Minister described the initiative as a “covenant” between the government and Nigerian youths, assuring that the administration will continue to invest in programmes that prepare young people for global opportunities.
In what is described as one of the largest digital skills investments in Nigeria’s history, the Federal Government has fully funded 36,000 Coursera and Pluralsight licences for the first year of the programme.
The initiative will allow beneficiaries to access training at no personal cost, removing financial barriers and expanding opportunities for Nigerian youths.