In a major push to accelerate Nigeria's digital evolution, the Federal Government has officially launched a high-powered committee tasked with a monumental goal: to train and certify one million Nigerians in essential digital and emerging technology skills.
A Strategic Milestone for National Development
The Joint Implementation Committee was inaugurated on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, in Abuja. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, performed the inauguration. He was represented by Ibrahim Kana, the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office in the SGF's office.
Akume described the event as a critical step in the government's focused plan to boost national digital literacy, develop human capital, and ensure an inclusive digital transformation that aligns with Nigeria's development goals. He emphasized that this initiative is a cornerstone of the Digital Transformation Agenda, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, and President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
The ambitious target is to achieve at least 95% digital literacy across Nigeria by the year 2030.
Funding, Framework, and Focus
While federal institutions are providing support, Akume clarified that the programme is fully funded and will be executed by the Clergywealth Cooperative Society Limited. The initiative builds directly on resolutions made at the 13th National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy meeting in December 2025.
A key decision from that meeting was the adoption of the Future Proof Economy (FPE) model as the official national framework for delivering digital literacy. The newly formed committee will use this model to guide the nationwide rollout.
The committee's mandate is broad and crucial. According to Akume, its Terms of Reference include:
- Planning and organizing a National Digital Literacy Conference.
- Providing strategic oversight for the rollout of training under the FPE Model.
- Ensuring all activities align with existing national policies.
- Coordinating with various Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), state governments, private sector partners, academia, and civil society.
- Setting up robust monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems.
Inclusive Implementation and National Impact
The programme will prioritize key demographics to bridge the digital divide, focusing on youths, women, underserved communities, and persons with disabilities.
To ensure effective execution, the committee comprises representatives from a wide array of bodies, including:
- The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
- Federal Ministries of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; Education; Youth Development; and Information and National Orientation.
- The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
- State representatives, ICT professionals, and civil society organisations.
Akume concluded by stating that the committee's work is central to preparing Nigeria's workforce for the future, deepening human capital development, and supporting sustainable, inclusive digital growth across the entire nation.
