Nigeria Poised to Become Talent Hub as 3MTT Program Expands to 270,000 Participants

 

The Nigerian government's ambitious 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program has entered its second phase, aiming to position the country as a significant exporter of tech talent. Announced by Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, & Digital Economy, this phase will see the program train an additional 270,000 individuals, bringing the total to 300,000 participants.

The 3MTT initiative has already attracted significant interest, with over 1.8 million applications received from across the country's 774 local governments. This second phase, described as the "pilot phase" by the Minister, will allow participants to complete their chosen courses over the next 12-18 months. The program emphasizes flexibility, offering "cutting-edge content" that individuals can learn "at their own pace" and supplemented by access to "physical learning locations close to where they live."

Dr. Tijani emphasized the program's dual objective:

Empowering individuals and strengthening Nigeria's digital economy. "Our goal is to support our people and ensure they have the skill set" needed to compete in the global digital landscape, he stated. By equipping its citizens with these skills, the Minister believes Nigeria can "defend our GDP," "defend the complexity of our economy," and ultimately drive sustainable national growth.

This announcement signifies Nigeria's commitment to developing a robust pool of tech talent, potentially transforming the nation into a prominent exporter of skilled professionals in the global digital marketplace.