The Federal Government has selected 16,000 Nigerians for the inaugural cohort of its Digital Training Academy, an initiative aimed at equipping young people with globally recognised digital skills and preparing them for opportunities in the digital economy.

The National Coordinator, Special Projects and Innovation Unit of the Federal Ministry of Education, Adebayo Onibanjo, disclosed this today at a media briefing ahead of the academy's national launch scheduled for September 14, 2026.

Onibanjo said the programme received 72,850 applications from Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the registration period between August 17 and September 1. According to him, 19,699 applicants met the qualifying benchmark, from which 16,000 candidates were selected for the first cohort.

The Digital Training Academy is a free Federal Government-backed programme designed to provide young Nigerians with digital training and access to internationally recognised certifications through leading online learning platforms.

The initiative is being implemented under the Nigeria Education Digital Infrastructure programme, a flagship intervention of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.

For the inaugural cohort, participants will receive training through Coursera and Pluralsight, with courses focused on skills relevant to the evolving digital economy.