Microsoft says its partnership with the Federal Government has trained over four million Nigerians in digital skills since 2021.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Nonye Ujam, Director for Government Affairs at Microsoft West Africa, during a media roundtable in Lagos.
The milestone highlights Nigeria’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce and advancing the country’s digital economy.
What they are saying
Ujam said that recent figures indicated 350,000 individuals have actively participated in Microsoft’s specialised student programmes.
“With 63,000 completing specific training pathways and 43,000 receiving global certification,” she said.
She also announced plans to train an additional 350,000 Nigerians in AI skills under Microsoft’s National Skills Initiative (AINSI), noting that the initiative is being implemented with support from Data Science Nigeria and Lagos Business School.
“Microsoft is equipping developers for the future through developer-focused programmes, creating a strong pipeline of technical talent,” Ujam explained.
She highlighted government-driven initiatives such as Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the Three Million Technical Talent Initiative (3MTT) led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, saying developers in the public sector had gained new skills.
Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana Country General Manager, Abideen Yusuf, said Nigeria’s AI adoption rate currently stands at 8.7%, slightly below the Sub-Saharan average.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait, AI is reshaping every sector and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead. We are focusing on three key indices: the frontier (innovation), Infrastructure (connectivity and power), and most importantly, skills,” he said.
Yusuf added that by equipping leaders, developers, and tech users through government collaboration, Microsoft is helping Nigerians adopt and adapt AI, maximising its potential across the economy.
More details
Mrs Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, said the partnership has trained 99 public sector leaders from 58 agencies.
“At LBS, we believe that equipping leaders and citizens with AI capabilities is essential for driving inclusive growth, innovation and national transformation,” she said.
She emphasised that AI skilling includes governance, ethics, and risk management to enable credit access and improve sectors like agriculture.
Dr Bayo Adekanmbi, Founder of Data Science Nigeria, represented by Business Lead Aanu Oyeniran, highlighted the programme’s structure to reach grassroots learners. Adekanmbi explained that building capacity in evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption lays the foundation for a globally competitive workforce.
He added that true digital transformation occurs when all stakeholders, including government, developers, educators, and communities, advance together.
What you should know
Nigeria’s skills development landscape has seen multiple federal initiatives this year aimed at equipping citizens with digital and technical competencies.
The Federal Ministry of Education partnered with Amazon Web Services to launch free digital skills training for students and educators across tertiary institutions, focusing on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, with the programme already live in more than 40 universities and polytechnics.
Earlier in the year, the government trained 270 technical teachers in digital literacy and trade‑specific skills to strengthen technical and vocational education and improve workforce readiness. To ensure training is not only theoretical but also practical, preparing educators to guide students toward industry‑relevant skills.
- The Education Ministry launched a nationwide TVET programme to accredit vocational centres and introduced artisan-led mentorship in technical colleges, targeting five million youths with practical, globally relevant skills.
- Under the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) Digital Literacy for All Initiative (DL4ALL), the government is scaling digital literacy training nationwide with targets to reach 70% of Nigerians by 2027 and 95% by 2030.
- As part of this drive, the Federal Government also announced plans to train more than 1.1 million residents of Enugu State in digital skills by 2027 under the same framework.
