Nigeria Launches Ambitious Drive To Train One Million Citizens In Digital Skills

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC) to spearhead a National Digital Literacy Conference and supervise the training and certification of one million Nigerians in digital and emerging skills.

According to official sources, the committee is tasked with laying the foundation for Nigeria to achieve 95 percent digital literacy by 2030. The inauguration took place yesterday in Abuja, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and represented by the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office (GSO) in the SGF’s office, Mr. Ibrahim Kana. The event also marked the launch of the ClergyWealth Digital Skills Nigeria (SkillUp) Initiative.

Kana described the inauguration as “a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s strategic commitment to enhancing national digital literacy, developing human capital, and promoting inclusive digital transformation in line with national development priorities.” He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Digital Transformation Agenda, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The permanent secretary highlighted that the SkillUp Initiative is entirely sponsored and executed by ClergyWealth Cooperative Society Limited under the Future Proof Economy (FPE) Model, with no financial obligation from the Federal Government.

“For clarity, the ClergyWealth Digital Skills Nigeria (SkillUp) Initiative is fully privately funded and implemented by ClergyWealth Cooperative Society Limited. The Federal Government bears no financial responsibility for this programme,” Kana affirmed. He also noted that recent resolutions of the 13th National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy provide policy backing for the initiative, including the adoption of the FPE Model as the official framework for the National Digital Literacy Framework and plans to establish a Presidential Digital Literacy Management Structure by March 2026.

The committee, comprising representatives from the Office of the SGF, the Federal Ministries of Communications, Education, Youth Development, and Information, TETFund, NITDA, ICT professional bodies, NGOs, states, and the Federal Capital Territory, is responsible for policy alignment, stakeholder coordination, monitoring, evaluation, and ensuring inclusivity—particularly for youth, women, underserved communities, and persons with disabilities.

Deputy National Coordinator of ClergyWealth Cooperative Society Limited, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, explained that the SkillUp Initiative aims to equip one million Nigerian youths for remote work and global technology opportunities through practical digital literacy and internationally recognized certification. The programme will provide hands-on training in digital tools, online safety, and digital entrepreneurship, with each training batch lasting six months across six modules.

At the conclusion of the Digital Literacy Academy, participants will receive internationally recognized certification and personal computers to support their productivity. The initiative also targets clergy, civil society leaders, rural residents, and youths of all faiths, complementing ClergyWealth’s existing artisan empowerment schemes, microcredit support, and access to a global job portal.

The committee, chaired by Mr. Ibrahim Kana, includes members such as Zainab Abubakar, Ebi, Ifeanyi Okereke, Joe Odoh, Mohammed Tambuwal, Rosemary Osikoya, and Grace Amaefule.