The Federal Government has opened applications for the fifth cohort of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, with about N4 billion in partner funding set aside to support digital skills development and employment opportunities.

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy said the funding would be tied to verified outcomes under Cohorts 5 and 6, with applications open to organisations and individual experts seeking to join the 3MTT Delivery Network.

According to the ministry, the latest phase of the programme will place greater emphasis on industry demand and measurable employment outcomes, rather than simply increasing the number of Nigerians receiving training.

Participating organisations will be required to demonstrate clear demand for skilled workers before accessing the funding. The initiative is designed to connect technical training with employment, freelance opportunities and entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said it had trained and certified about 2.8 million Nigerians in digital skills, supported more than 700 startups and mobilised $151.2 million in funding for technology businesses under its 2024–2026 Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0.

NITDA disclosed the figures during a stakeholders’ engagement workshop on the review of SRAP 2.0, held alongside the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition in Abuja. The agency also said it developed about 17 regulatory standards and frameworks, while its clearance of public-sector information technology projects valued at N2.77 trillion resulted in estimated savings of N141 billion.