President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said on Thursday in Abuja that his administration is laying the groundwork for a vibrant digital workforce that will propel Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth and shared prosperity.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, at the State House Conference Centre during the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) National Impact Summit and the launch of the 3MTT Digital Skills Fund, the President reaffirmed that Nigeria’s ambition to build a trillion-dollar economy depends on technical skills, innovation, productivity, and a globally competitive youth workforce.
The 3MTT programme, launched in 2023 by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aims to train three million young Nigerians in vital tech skills, create two million technology jobs, and export skilled talent.
“Our aspiration to build a trillion-dollar economy will not happen by accident,” President Tinubu said. “It demands productivity, innovation, and a workforce with skills that meet global standards. Digital capabilities now drive growth across every major sector—agriculture, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education, and public service.”
He stressed that equipping young Nigerians with digital skills is essential not only for economic growth but also for generating jobs and preparing the country for global competitiveness.
“A strong digital workforce creates employment, boosts enterprise, and positions Nigeria to compete globally. It moves us from being mere consumers of technology to creators and exporters of talent. The 3MTT programme is already unlocking opportunities, empowering young people, and shaping our long-term economic future.
“From over 1.8 million applications nationwide to new jobs, startups, and innovative solutions, 3MTT has grown from an idea into a national driver of impact across all 36 states and the FCT.”
The President urged the 30,000 graduates of the programme to stay committed and view themselves as the digital engine powering Nigeria’s next stage of development.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, noted that Nigeria’s digital economy remains one of the most attractive in Africa for investment. He commended President Tinubu’s vision and thanked private-sector and development partners for supporting the initiative.
Tijani highlighted that when the administration took office in 2023, over 4.5 million tech jobs were vacant globally, prompting the Ministry to establish 3MTT—the world’s largest tech talent accelerator—to produce high-quality technical talent for Nigeria and beyond.
Beneficiaries of the programme shared testimonies of how the training enabled them to build solutions to local challenges, secure jobs, win international awards, earn scholarships, and even train others.
Hauwa Yakubu Aliyu from Jigawa State described how the programme helped her acquire digital skills that empowered farmers in her community to adopt greenhouse farming. She also spoke of representing Nigeria at the Huawei ICT Tech4Good Global Summit in China and receiving a laptop that supported her learning journey.
Adelani Adelaja, a military officer from Lagos State, said the programme enabled him to develop logistics solutions that enhanced both his work and his capacity to train colleagues.
UNDP representative, Elsie Attafuah, praised the administration’s bold economic reforms, saying Nigeria “has chosen reform over retreat, courage over comfort, and the future over the past.”
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, announced a $48 million pledge to support the 3MTT Digital Skills Fund.
Partners of the programme—including Google, Moniepoint, Airtel, IHS, Secure ID, and Huawei—delivered goodwill messages commending the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening the technical capabilities of Nigerian youth and creating an enabling environment for the telecommunications sector to thrive.
