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Federal Govt kicks off training for two million IT jobs in June

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The Federal Government is set to offer six months of free training to youths to fill two million job vacancies.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also approved N120 billion to revive technical education.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, spoke during the third Ministerial Press Briefing, organised by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris in Abuja.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also gave an account of his stewardship.

Alausa said: “We have almost N120 billion and the President has approved it for us to move this agenda forward.

“This programme will be launched probably in the month of May.

“Today, based on UNESCO data, there are 650,000 vacancies in software development methodologies, about 280,000 vacancies in cyber security, and about 160,000 vacancies in IT automation.“

Another 150,000 vacancies in AI and machine learning, about 120,000 vacancies in cloud computing, and about 60,000 vacancies worldwide in national language processing.

“Add that together, we have almost two million job vacancies out there.

“So, what we’re doing with Digital Training Academy is working with trainers that will offer six- months of training to young engineers.

“We, as a government, will pay for their internet services, pay for their certification- Cisco certification, End of Career certification, and Google certification.”

Alausa said the strategy would give Nigerians new digital skills needed to stand out in the world.

He added that the training would be launched on or before June.

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education was putting measures to encourage Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the areas of needs.

He said this would be done through the Digital Training Academy (DTA) to give students skills in service industries.

Alausa reiterated the commitment of the government to return 10 million out-of-school children to the classrooms.

He said the ministry was working on a new strategy to increase access, improve quality and enhance education systems for foundational learning.

Alausa said between now and 2027, the government will reconstruct 195,000 classrooms across the nation.

“With regards to infrastructure, between now and 2027, we will need to raise 195,000 classrooms across the nation.

“We will install 28,000 toilets, and 22,900 boreholes across other schools in the country.

“We will construct about 7,000 new classrooms and provide learning and teaching materials by organising 103 million textbooks,” he said.

Alausa hinged the current proliferation of universities on the increasing pressure being mounted by lawmakers.

He said almost 200 bills were pending in the National Assembly for the creation of universities.

Alausa explained that renewing the capacities of existing institutions was more important than establishing new ones.

According to him, there is no need to put pressure on the president to establish new universities.

“We must focus on our capacities. We need to stop this from happening. There’s so much pressure on the president.

“We have to at least be sensitive to it as well. They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills.

“Today, there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue this.

“Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there.

“What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens,” he said.

The minister added that the enrollment rate was not commensurate with the recent number of universities.

“If you look at the entire enrollment together, the one per cent of private universities account for just 7.5 per cent of total undergraduate enrollment.

“The total number of undergraduate enrollment today is just about 875,000, which is at least fairly low.

“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there’s this intense demand for more universities to be opened.

“We have to stop that,” he said.

He added that several key proposals had been put forward to address education sector challenges.

He added that the Tinubu Administration has committed N40 billion to the abandoned National Library of Nigeria project.

The minister said work on the library project would soon commence, adding that this would support academic and research needs.

Others who attended the briefing include Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga; Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation, Mr. Sunday Dare, and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Publicity and Special Duties, Mr. Tunde Rahaman.

Heads of agencies in the Ministry of Information and National Orientation – News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Voice of Nigeria (VON), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN) – were also there.

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Presidential Condolences to Chimamanda Over the loss of her son

President Tinubu said , “As a parent myself who has suffered the loss of a loved one, no grief is as devastating as losing a child.”

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has consoled with Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, and the entire family on the passing of their son, Nkanu Nnamdi.

President Tinubu said , “As a parent myself who has suffered the loss of a loved one, no grief is as devastating as losing a child.

I empathise with the family at this difficult time, and I mourn this sad loss with them.

Ms Adichie is a literary icon who has brought joy and light to many homes globally, and I pray she and her family find strength in the Almighty in this trying hour.My prayers are with the family.”

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President Tinubu Hails NGX for Crossing ₦100 Trillion Market Capitalisation Milestone

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Urges Deeper Local Investments

President Bola Tinubu has commended corporate Nigeria, investors, and stakeholders in the capital market for propelling the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) beyond the historic ₦100 trillion market capitalisation threshold.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the achievement as a “new economic reality and rejuvenation,” signalling strong investor confidence in Nigeria’s reforming economy.

“With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100 trillion mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality,” President Tinubu said. He highlighted the NGX All-Share Index’s impressive 51.19% return in 2025 — outperforming the previous year’s 37.65% and ranking among the world’s top performers — even as many global markets faced stagnation.

The President noted year-to-date gains surpassing benchmarks like the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, positioning Nigeria as an attractive investment destination rather than a overlooked frontier market.

He praised resilient performances across sectors, from industrial giants localising supply chains to innovative banks, and anticipated further growth with upcoming listings in energy, tech, telecoms, and infrastructure.

President Tinubu linked the stock market’s success to broader reforms yielding macroeconomic stability. Inflation has declined for eight consecutive months, dropping from a peak of 34.8% in December 2024 to 14.45% in November 2025, with forecasts suggesting 12% in 2026 and potentially single digits by year-end.

Nigeria recorded a $16 billion current account surplus in 2024, projected to rise to $18.81 billion in 2026, driven by surging non-oil exports (up 48% to ₦9.2 trillion in Q3 2025) and manufacturing growth. Foreign reserves have exceeded $45 billion, with the naira stabilising and projections to surpass $50 billion in early 2026.

Infrastructure advances, including rail expansions, major highways like Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry, and port revitalisation, were also highlighted, alongside improvements in healthcare, education loans via NELFUND, and research funding.

Urging Nigerians to invest more domestically, President Tinubu assured that “2026 will yield even greater returns” as reforms mature. He pledged continued efforts toward a transparent, egalitarian, high-growth economy, bolstered by tax and fiscal changes effective January 1, 2026.

“Nation-building is a process requiring hard work and focus. This ₦100 trillion milestone signals to the world that Nigeria’s economy is robust and productive,” he concluded.

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JUST IN: Omi Eko Project Appoints Dr. Segun Alabi as Head of Communications and Media

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The Omi Eko Project, a landmark €410 million sustainable water transport initiative aimed at easing road congestion and modernizing Lagos’ underutilized waterways, has named Dr. Segun Alabi as its new Head of Communications and Media.

The appointment was announced today, with Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, Special Adviser on Blue Economy to the Lagos State Governor and Project Coordinator, praising Dr. Alabi’s proven track record in corporate affairs and strategic communications.

“Dr. Alabi is a highly accomplished Corporate Affairs professional with diverse experience spanning Pay TV, financial services, real estate, business membership organisations, and the manufacturing sector,” Mr. Emmanuel stated.

In his new role, Dr. Alabi will oversee the development and implementation of communication strategies, media relations, and efforts to highlight the project’s goals of promoting efficient, eco-friendly urban mobility across the Lagos metropolis.

Most recently, Dr. Alabi served as Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), where he managed corporate communications, public affairs, and events. His expertise extends to reputation management, government relations, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder engagement, public policy advocacy, and digital media strategies.

Described as a strategic communicator skilled in leveraging information for organizational impact, Dr. Alabi holds a PhD in English from the University of Lagos, specializing in Language Use and Communication.

Expressing enthusiasm for the role, Dr. Alabi said: “I am excited to join the Omi Eko Project team. This opportunity is truly a dream come true. While the task ahead is enormous, it is certainly achievable.

”Backed by the European Union, French Development Agency (AFD), European Investment Bank (EIB), and private partners, the Omi Eko Project seeks to establish organized ferry routes, deploy electric vessels, and upgrade terminals to shift more commuters to waterways, reducing traffic and emissions while boosting sustainability.

About the Omi Eko Project:

The Omi Eko Project is a €410 million initiative to revolutionize waterway transportation in Lagos, unlocking the state’s vast inland waterways for safer, greener, and more efficient public mobility. Supported by international partners under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, it represents a pivotal advancement in environmentally responsible urban transport for Africa’s largest city.

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