In a step toward building Nigeria’s future-ready workforce and positioning Nigeria as a global hub for technical talent, MTN Nigeria has over time committed ₦3 billion to support the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme. This commitment, aimed at equipping young Nigerians with digital skills and unlocking economic opportunities on a large scale, has continued to yield tangible impact across the country.

As a founding supporter of the programme, MTN Nigeria has been instrumental from the very beginning, helping to lay the foundation with Pan-African United Foundation (PAUF) and Lagos Business School supporting the implementation. Its contribution has enabled the training of over 90,000 Nigerians across two cohorts, deployed through 197 Partner Applied Learning Cluster (ALCs) organisations nationwide. With ₦1.45 billion already disbursed to support technical training, ₦1.5 billion in data grants across the programme’s life cycle to ease connectivity access for learners, and an additional ₦50 million to Raspberry Pi devices distributed for hands-on learning through the Ministry’s Buildathon programme, MTN Nigeria’s backing has been vital in fostering critical thinking and teamwork among students through dynamic technology collaboration. The Raspberry Pi kits alone have supported 3,500 young innovators in secondary schools across Nigeria.  

“MTN Nigeria has been a committed partner to the 3MTT Programme since its inception, playing a vital role in laying the foundation for what has become the world’s largest tech talent accelerator,” said Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy. “As we work to position Nigeria as a global hub for digital talent, partnerships like this are vital in ensuring that opportunity is not limited by geography or circumstance, but driven by skill, inclusion, and shared purpose.”

This partnership comes at a time when the global tech ecosystem is experiencing a talent shortage, and Nigeria—through 3MTT—is rising to meet that demand. With over 1.8 million applications received and its final pilot phase cohort ongoing, the programme is on track to commence its scale-up phase in the second quarter of this year. This next phase will also feature the implementation of the recently launched Nigeria Talent Cities Initiative which aims to build a network of campuses for outsourcing and unlocking 500,000 jobs by 2027. The programme is at the forefront of building the technical talent backbone that will increase productivity locally and cement Nigeria’s position as a leader in the global digital economy.

MTN  Nigeria’s intervention directly addresses barriers like affordability, infrastructure, and access, ensuring that aspiring learners, regardless of location or economic background, can gain fully paid scholarships to acquire future-proof skills in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Product Management, Cloud Computing, Software Development, amongst others and transition into the global digital economy.

“As a technology company committed to advancing Africa’s progress, we recognise that digital skills are the bedrock of innovation, employment, and economic inclusion. Our commitment to the 3MTT Programme is a commitment to Nigeria’s future, as it aims to build the technical talent backbone that will power our digital economy and position the country as a net talent exporter. Also, supporting the initiative is in continuation of MTN’s drive to leverage telecommunications to accelerate economic growth and social development,” Karl Olutokun Toriola, MTN Nigeria, Chief Executive Officer.

Looking ahead, MTN Nigeria’s continued support will power the training of even more Nigerians—especially those in underserved communities—and ensure they have the tools, mentorship, and opportunities needed to unleash digital transformation in Nigeria and thrive on the global stage. Together with the Ministry, MTN Nigeria is laying the foundation for a digitally empowered generation, equipped to shape the future.