President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a youthful, digitally skilled workforce capable of driving Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth. Speaking at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja during the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) National Impact Summit and the launch of the 3MTT Digital Skills Fund, Tinubu emphasized the central role of technical skills, innovation, and productivity in achieving his vision of a trillion-dollar economy. The President was represented at the event by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Launched in 2023 by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the 3MTT initiative targets the training of three million young Nigerians in critical technical skills, creation of two million tech jobs, and export of surplus talent. President Tinubu stressed that digital skills are now essential for growth across all sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education, and public service.
“Our ambition to build a trillion-dollar economy will not be achieved by chance. It requires a workforce whose skills meet global standards, driven by productivity and innovation,” Tinubu said. He urged the 30,000 youths who have undergone the programme to remain focused and view themselves as the foundation for the nation’s future development.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, described Nigeria’s digital economy as one of the most attractive investment destinations in Africa. He praised the President’s vision and acknowledged the support of the private sector and development partners in ensuring the success of 3MTT. Highlighting the gap that existed at the start of Tinubu’s administration, Tijani said over 4.5 million technology sector jobs were vacant in 2023, prompting the creation of the world’s largest technology talent accelerator under 3MTT.
Participants of the programme shared how 3MTT has transformed their skills and professional opportunities. Hauwa Yakubu Aliyu from Jigawa State explained that the programme enabled her to empower local farmers through greenhouse farming and offered a fully funded trip to China to represent Nigeria at the Huawei ICT Tech4Good Global Summit. Similarly, military personnel Adelani Adelaja from Lagos State said 3MTT allowed him to develop logistics solutions while mentoring colleagues in digital skills.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative, Elsie Attafuah, commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, noting that Nigeria has chosen “reform over retreat, courage over comfort, and the future over the past.” The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, pledged $48 million in support of the 3MTT Digital Skills Fund.
Corporate partners, including Google, Moniepoint, Airtel, IHS, Secure ID, and Huawei, lauded the initiative and Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing the technical capacity of Nigerian youth while providing an enabling environment for telecom and digital business.
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