The Federal Ministry of Education has announced the enrolment of 16,000 Nigerians into the first cohort of the Digital Training Academy (DTA), a free Federal Government-backed initiative to equip young Nigerians with globally recognised digital skills.
The disclosure was made by the National Coordinator, Special Projects and Innovation Unit (SPOIU), Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, during a media briefing ahead of the academy’s national launch scheduled for September 14, 2026.
Onibanjo said the DTA received 72,850 applications from Nigerians across the 36 states and the FCT during its registration window, which opened on August 17 and closed on September 1, 2026.
According to the ministry, 19,699 applicants met the qualifying benchmark, while 16,000 learners were selected for the inaugural cohort.
“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 DTA is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure (NEDI) programme, a flagship intervention under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
The initiative aligns with the human capital development objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda and forms part of the Data and Digitalisation pillar of NESRI.
Quoting the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the coordinator described 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.”
Training for the first cohort will be delivered through two international learning platforms, Coursera and Pluralsight.
The ministry said the initiative is part of Federal Government efforts to develop a highly skilled workforce without duplicating existing investments in digital skills development.
The Federal Ministry of Education expressed appreciation to applicants and partner institutions including the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Yaba College of Technology, NOUN, Coursera and Pluralsight.
Further details on the academy’s expansion plans and future cohorts are expected to be provided at the national launch on September 14.
The ministry urged the media to continue supporting and reporting the programme as government seeks to expand access to world-class digital skills for young Nigerians nationwide.