FG TARGETS 10 MILLION GLOBALLY CERTIFIED NIGERIANS BY 2030

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The Federal Government is targeting 10 million globally certified Nigerians and one million export-linked jobs by 2030 as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s education and skills development system.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this at the “Hire From Nigeria” side event held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education was working to build a talent pipeline connected to global employment opportunities through reforms in education, technical training and digital skills.

He identified gaps between training and employer needs, limited work-based learning and access to internationally recognised certifications as some of the challenges facing Nigeria’s talent development efforts.

The minister said the government was addressing these gaps through curriculum reforms, stronger accreditation and quality assurance, and expanded digital and technical training.

He disclosed that the Federal Government’s free Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme had received more than one million applications, with 160,000 trainees supported through about 1,200 centres nationwide.

Alausa also said the Digital Training Academy was working with global learning providers, including Coursera and Pluralsight, to give 32,000 Nigerians free access to professional digital and technology training.

The minister said Nigeria must equip young people with skills that complement emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, data literacy, cybersecurity, cloud services and software development.

He urged employers, investors and development partners to participate in training, certification and recruitment to create sustainable pathways from Nigerian talent to global employment opportunities.