Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday declared that Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy hinges squarely on boosting productivity, deepening innovation, and developing a workforce equipped with skills that meet global standards.
Speaking at the 3MTT Nigeria National Impact Summit held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the President said the path to national prosperity lies not in chance but in a deliberate investment in human capital.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, noted that in a world reshaped by rapid technological change, the nations that lead are those that strategically develop the skills of their young people.
Nigeria, he stressed, must therefore continue to treat human capital as its most valuable resource under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He maintained that digital skills now power growth across key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education and public service, making programmes like the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative essential to the administration’s economic transformation blueprint.
According to him, “A strong digital workforce creates jobs, expands enterprise and positions Nigeria to participate competitively in the global marketplace. More importantly, it shifts our role in the world from passive consumers of technology to active creators and exporters of talent.”
The President hailed the 3MTT programme as proof of what focus and disciplined execution can achieve.
From more than 1.8 million applications drawn from every local government area to new startups and job opportunities emerging nationwide, he said the initiative has moved from concept to measurable impact across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Opportunity is no longer limited to major cities,” he added, noting that the programme is restoring confidence among young Nigerians that they can compete and thrive in the global digital economy.
Tinubu commended the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for stewarding the programme and acknowledged key private-sector and development partners, including IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Moniepoint, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union, for giving the initiative depth and credibility.
While applauding the progress so far, the President said Nigeria must stay committed to the larger vision of transforming digital and technical skills nationwide.
This, he emphasised, will require continued collaboration among government, industry, and development partners.
“To the young Nigerians gathered here, and to the millions you represent across every community in our nation, we believe in your capacity and your future. Through initiatives like 3MTT, we are building genuine platforms for progress, not ceremonial commitments”, he said.
Tinubu reaffirmed that the Nigeria of the future must be powered by skilled hands and driven by innovative minds ready to work, create and lead, adding that the government is determined to lay a strong foundation for a digital workforce that will propel the country’s next chapter of growth and shared prosperity.
The Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani in his remarks said that about 135,000 Nigerians have been trained within the past two years with some of them having opportunities to secure well paid jobs in tech companies, while others have had opportunities to travel to China, UK and other countries for further studies.
Dr Tijani who praised President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the 3MTT programme and other digital technology innovation initiatives, said within the first month of the launch of the 3MTT programme, over 1.8 million Nigerian youths signed onto the programme.
According to Dr Tijani, the Commitment of the present administration to digital infrastructures development remains unparalleled as President Tinubu approved deployment of 4,000 telecom infrastructures to rural areas to ensure that 23 million Nigerians in unconnected areas are connected to the Internet.
The Minister who said that by 2030, about 170 million jobs would be available for Nigerians who have tech skills, noting that the digital economic sector would remain vibrant and Nigeria would be in a position to fill vacancies in the sector with the approach adopted by the present administration to bring the youth on board the digital economy sector.
Dr Tijani who highlighted the various supports and funding received by the government from the private sector and international institutions such as Google, Microsoft, IHS, Huawei, MTN, UNDP, African Development Bank among others, emphasised that the 3MTT programme is open to all Nigerian youths irrespective of status and class.
The Minister further said under the programme, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC made available about 1.5 billion naira worth of laptops and other gadgets to beneficiaries, noting that the beneficiaries of the programme secured 15,000 direct jobs from different tech companies after their trainings.
Dr Tijani who called for increased private sector participation in the 3MTT programme, said the initiative now has community managers in the 36 states of the Federation and one in the FCT, while over 600 facility agents are working across the 774 local government councils of the country.
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