The Federal Government has inaugurated a Joint Implementation Committee charged with overseeing a major programme to train one million Nigerians in digital literacy and emerging technology skills. The ceremony took place in Abuja on Tuesday, underscoring the administration’s commitment to preparing the nation’s workforce for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.
The committee was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who was represented by Ibrahim Kana, Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office, Office of the SGF. Akume described the launch as a “significant milestone” in the government’s strategic drive to expand digital competencies across the country.
“This inauguration represents a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s deliberate and strategic commitment to deepening national digital literacy, strengthening human capital development, and promoting inclusive digital transformation in line with national development priorities,” Akume said at the event.
Speaking to journalists, Akume emphasised that the initiative dovetails with Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He noted that the country is targeting 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, a goal embedded in policy discussions at recent national digital economy forums.
“This initiative aligns strongly with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Digital Transformation Agenda…and Nigeria’s commitment to achieving not less than 95% digital literacy by the year 2030,” he said.
According to Akume, while the programme advances federal digital policy goals and has coordination support from government institutions, its implementation and funding are being managed by Clergywealth Cooperative Society Limited. The SGF’s office clarified that the committee will ensure the programme’s strategic rollout nationwide.
The newly constituted committee is tasked with several key functions designed to ensure the success of the digital skills initiative:
Planning and coordinating the national training and certification programme.
Designing and organising the forthcoming National Digital Literacy Conference, envisioned as a central platform for stakeholders to advance the country’s digital skills strategy.
Providing strategic oversight and ensuring alignment with national policies, including resolutions from the 13th National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
Engaging key stakeholders, including federal ministries, state representatives, private sector partners, academia, civil society groups, and development partners.
Setting up monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems that will track progress, measure impact, and document best practices for potential expansion beyond the initial one million participants.
Members of the committee come from a broad cross-section of government and civil society. They include representatives from the Office of the SGF, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), TETFund, state governments, ICT professionals and civil society organisations.
Officials emphasized that the digital skills programme will prioritise youths, women, underserved communities, and persons with disabilities, noting that digital competency is crucial for expanding employment opportunities and fostering innovation nationwide.
Analysts say the initiative complements broader federal efforts aimed at bridging Nigeria’s digital skills gap, efforts that include multiple government and private sector partnerships to expand training, certification and practical tech competencies across different demographic groups. For example, current digital literacy drives have trained more than one million Nigerians, including civil servants, while broader strategic goals set by tech agencies aim to increase nationwide digital literacy significantly by 2030.
As the committee begins its work, stakeholders and policymakers alike will be watching closely to see how this ambitious training initiative translates into practical opportunities and measurable outcomes for Nigerians positioned at the intersection of education, employment and technology.
