- Digital Skills Will Drive Nigeria’s Trillion-Dollar Ambition – Tinubu
- President highlights 1.8m applications, nationwide impact of programme
- Government vows sustained expansion with industry and development partners
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said his administration is laying the groundwork for a digital workforce that will drive Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking at the 3MTT National Impact Summit at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, he described the Three Million Technical Talent programme as a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda and a pathway to a trillion-dollar economy anchored on productivity and innovation.
Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said, “Together, we are laying the foundation for a digital workforce that will power Nigeria’s next chapter of growth and shared prosperity.” He added, “Nigeria’s most valuable resource is not oil or minerals, but the creativity, determination and potential of our people,” noting that leading nations invest deliberately in the skills of their young population.
The President explained that digital skills now underpin growth across agriculture, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education and public service, shifting Nigeria’s position from a consumer of technology to a producer that exports talent and solutions.
He credited the programme with moving “from concept to nationwide impact,” highlighting more than 1.8 million applications across all local governments, new jobs created, start-ups emerging and solutions developed in the 36 states and the FCT.
Tinubu commended the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for its stewardship and acknowledged private-sector and development partners including IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Moniepoint, UNDP and the European Union.
While noting progress, he emphasised the need for sustained scale, saying, “From inception, 3MTT was designed to scale and to drive sustained transformation of digital and technical skills across the country.”
He added that achieving the vision requires “continued collaboration and shared commitment from government, industry and the development community.”
Offering reassurance to young Nigerians, Tinubu said, “Through initiatives like 3MTT, we are building genuine platforms for progress, not ceremonial commitments.”
He said the Nigeria his administration envisions “must be powered by skilled hands, guided by innovative thinking and driven by a generation ready to work, create and lead,” pledging the government’s full commitment to the programme’s expansion.
He also argued that the initiative is restoring confidence among young people “that they have a place in the global digital economy and a future they can shape with their own skills.”
The Three Million Technical Talent programme, launched in 2023, is the Federal Government’s flagship digital-skills pipeline implemented by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
It aims to train and place three million Nigerians in market-ready tech roles through community hubs and online learning across all 36 states and the FCT.
According to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijjani, the goal is to expand Nigeria’s digital workforce, boost productivity and reposition the country as a creator of technology.
He said 3MTT offers structured tracks in software engineering, data, product management, UI/UX, cloud, cybersecurity, AI and other fields, supported by industry-aligned curricula, facilitators, internships and job-matching pathways.
