Federal Government to Train 7 Million Youths in Digital, Professional Skills – Minister of Youth Development
The Federal Government has announced plans to equip seven million young Nigerians with digital and professional skills over the next two years as part of efforts to boost job creation and youth empowerment. Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this at the 2025 Strategic Youth Leadership Conference in Abuja, organised by the ministry in collaboration with the National Defence College. He said the initiative would create millions of jobs and position Nigeria as a global hub for digital talent. Outlining key strategies under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Olawande said the government would roll out the Nigerian Youth Academy and the National Learning Platform, which will serve as channels to deliver vocational and digital training to millions of youths by 2027.
According to him, the programme includes a three-million technical talent scheme focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and software engineering. The government also aims to achieve 70 per cent digital literacy nationwide by 2027.
The minister further announced a labour and employment initiative targeting 2.5 million jobs through enterprise training and employment matching. He emphasised the need for mentorship, quality education, and inclusive governance to harness the creativity and energy of Nigerian youths. Olawande stressed that young people remain the country’s greatest asset, adding that the administration is determined to build pathways that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
