World Bank, EU Support FG’s Skill Training Programme

The European Union and the World Bank have thrown their support behind the Nigerian Federal Government’s ambitious “Three Million Technical Talent” (3MTT) programme, an initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with digital skills and connecting them to global job markets.

Launched by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the 3MTT programme seeks to train three million Nigerians in high-demand technical skills by 2027. The goal is to develop a skilled digital workforce that can drive Nigeria’s economic growth and position the country as a global hub for tech talent.

Communications Minister Bosun Tijjani described 3MTT as the world’s largest tech talent accelerator and a key part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader vision for human capital development.

“When we came into office, the president made it clear—we must create one million technical jobs,” Tijjani told TVC.

“That’s what inspired the 3MTT programme. Everywhere I go, I meet young Nigerians gaining skills and finding real opportunities.”

Launched in 2023 with a pilot phase targeting just one percent of its goal, the programme scaled to 10 percent last year to refine its model. Now, it’s entering full-scale implementation.

Tijjani revealed that the EU has committed over €11 million to support the initiative. The World Bank is also assessing its impact as part of a larger effort to improve youth employment across the country.

Unlike previous government-led training efforts, the 3MTT programme prioritizes both skill development and job placement. Through partnerships with private sector companies and global organisations like the United Nations Development Programme—which funds participant internships—thousands of trainees have gained valuable work experience.

To further expand opportunities, the government plans to launch “Talent City”, an initiative that will transform public buildings into business process outsourcing (BPO) hubs for international service firms. This move aims to position Nigeria as a major player in the global BPO industry, traditionally led by countries like India and the Philippines.

“We’re starting with the Digital Bridge Institute in Lagos and collaborating with state governments to renovate key buildings such as the iconic Standard Building for outsourcing operations,” Tijjani explained.

Emphasising the programme’s strategic and data-driven approach, he added, “We’re not just throwing out numbers—this is about real people and real change.”