Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, declared on Tuesday that MTN Nigeria has contributed a total of ₦3 billion to support the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, the Nigerian government’s flagship programme aimed at developing a workforce with digital skills for the future.
Nigeria’s digital transformation is being accelerated by public-private partnerships, as the announcement reaffirms. Dr Tijani commended MTN as a long-standing partner, pointing out that their participation precedes the initiative’s public acknowledgement.
“MTN Nigeria has been an early supporter of the 3MTT programme, playing a vital role in ensuring that young Nigerians across the country can access inclusive digital training,” he stated. “This kind of sustained collaboration is what drives our vision of building a future-ready workforce and positioning Nigeria as a net exporter of technical talent.”
3MTT programme aims to empower 3 million Nigerians with digital skills
The 3MTT programme, which was started as a fundamental component of the Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to provide three million Nigerians with training in digital and tech-related skills over a number of stages.
It began with a 30,000-person initial cohort and subsequently grew to 270,000 trainees, achieving 10 per cent of its long-term goal.
Nigeria’s goal to become a global centre for technical talent is accelerating with the support of MTN and other corporate behemoths.
MTN’s ₦3 billion investment comes after the Airtel Africa Foundation awarded a ₦1 billion grant earlier this year, demonstrating the growing interest of the private sector in upskilling Nigerian youth.
Furthermore, IHS Towers has pledged ₦1 billion to the project. In addition to providing funding, IHS is assisting with the establishment of learning communities throughout Nigeria, including the hiring of 37 committed learning community managers whose salaries will be paid for the ensuing three years.
These communities guarantee that participants receive practical assistance by acting as regional centres for mentoring and training.
3MTT digital skills courses
Traditional software engineering and coding are not the only skills covered in the 3MTT program. It emphasises a wide range of technology-enabled and digital skills, such as programmearketing and SEO, CRM and Accounting Software, Data Analysis and Visualization, Cloud Platform Navigation, Project Management Tools and UI/UX and Graphics Design.
By teaching Nigerians skills that are in high demand worldwide, the programme aims to open up economic opportunities both domestically and abroad.
Efforts to reach 3 million milestone
The ministry has stated that cooperation is essential to the programme’s success as Nigeria steps up its efforts to hit the three million milestone.
Its phased implementation is being guided by a framework that was co-developed with stakeholders from government agencies, private companies, development partners, and training providers.
MTN’s most recent pledge demonstrates the private sector’s growing faith in the initiative—and in Nigeria’s potential to emerge as a global digital talent powerhouse.