News
Federal Govt kicks off training for two million IT jobs in June
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.
News
Lagos urges residents to prepare for 64 days traffic from Lekki Phase 1–Ajah Bridge as reconstruction begins
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, said that the rehabilitation works on Sections 2 and 3 of the expressway will commence on Sunday, 25 January 2026, and last for an estimated 64 days.
• Sangotedo – Bogije section of Lekki -Epe expressway / Ohibaba.com
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday announced a 64-day traffic diversion for the reconstruction of the Ajah Bridge to Admiralty section (inbound Lagos) of the Lekki–Epe Expressway.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, said that the rehabilitation works on Sections 2 and 3 of the expressway will commence on Sunday, 25 January 2026, and last for an estimated 64 days.
Daramola said that the project will follow a traffic management plan, with work carried out intersection by intersection rather than along the entire corridor at once.
Construction will be carried out both day and night to accelerate completion.
He explained that though a stakeholder meeting had been held late last year with plans to begin work, the project was postponed due to the yuletide festivities.
The festivities are over, and the state government has instructed the contractor to move to site to commence work on Sunday,” he said.
Intersections will be worked on at night to maintain better traffic flow.
News
LASEMA releases update regarding fire outbreak at Computer Village Ikeja
Following distress alerts received on it’s 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency Lines at 0155hours, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from Command and Control Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
INCIDENT DESCRIPTION:
Upon arrival of LRT at the incident scene by 0215hours, it was observed that a fire outbreak occurred in a one-storey commercial building that accommodates dealers in computers and accessories in Computer Village, Ikeja.
Responders observed active flames and dense smoke, indicating intense combustion within the structure.
The one-storey commercial building is primarily used for the storage and sale of computers and accessories.
The high volume of combustible materials contributed to the rapid spread of fire.
CAUSE OF FIRE:
Cause of the fire is yet-to-be ascertained and is currently under investigation.
CASUALTIES/INJURIES
- No fatalities were recorded.
- One Lagos State Firefighter sustained minor injuries during the operation and was administered first aid treatment on site by LASAMBUS.
DAMAGE REPORT:
- The entire top floor of the one-storey commercial building was completely razed by the fire.
- All goods and properties worth millions of naira stored therein were totally destroyed by the conflagration.
- Physical examination of the one-storey commercial building reveals partial compromise and requires immediate structural assessment.
ACTION TAKEN:
- Upon arrival, LASEMA Response Team conducted Risk Assessment of the incident scene and cordoned off the activity area.
- LRT activated Safety and Precautionary Measures to forestall damages to adjoining buildings and immediate environs of the incident scene.
- Prompt interventions were implemented by LRT, and other responders, to forestall escalation of fire to adjoining buildings and eventually extinguish it.
- LRT co-ordinated the multi-agency response to ensure a quick and safe operation.
CURRENT STATUS:
- Firefighting operations have successfully suppressed and contained the fire within the affected building.
- The fire was prevented from escalating to neighbouring structures.
- Continuous damping-down operations are ongoing to eliminate residual heat and prevent re-ignition.
- Rescue and Recovery Operation has been concluded.
RECOMMENDATIONS/NEXT STEPS
- Conduct a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the fire
- Carry out a structural assessment of the building to evaluate safety
- Review fire safety measures and storage protocols for commercial accessory buildings in the entire area.
- Ensure continued monitoring of the incident scene to prevent re-ignition of the fire.
RESPONDERS:
- LASEMA Response Team – Command and Control Centre.
- LASG Fire & Rescue Service.
- LASAMBUS
- Nigeria Police Force – NPF.
News
Major Fire Engulfs Section of Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos
A devastating fire broke out at the bustling Computer Village market in Ikeja on Monday, January 19, 2026, raging through parts of the popular electronics and IT hub and continuing into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The blaze, which reportedly started in the afternoon or evening of January 19, affected multiple shops and commercial buildings in the densely packed market known as West Africa’s largest hub for computers, smartphones, accessories, and related gadgets.
Thick smoke billowed over the area as flames consumed valuable stock, including electronics and other merchandise worth potentially millions of naira.
Firefighters from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service responded to the scene, working through the night to bring the inferno under control. By Tuesday morning, January 20, the fire had been largely contained or extinguished, though pockets of smoldering remained in some structures.
No immediate reports of casualties have emerged from the incident, but traders and shop owners are said to have suffered heavy losses, with destroyed goods, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted business operations.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with preliminary indications pointing to possible electrical faults—a common risk in the area’s overcrowded and often makeshift wiring setups—though officials have not yet confirmed this.
Computer Village, located in the heart of Ikeja, is a vital economic center employing thousands and serving customers from across Nigeria and beyond. Incidents like this highlight ongoing concerns about fire safety, building regulations, and emergency response in such high-density commercial zones.
Authorities, including the Lagos State Police Command and fire service, are expected to provide further updates as assessments of the damage continue and support measures for affected traders are discussed.
Traders have begun tallying losses, and calls for better prevention measures are already circulating among market associations.
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