The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has disclosed that the Federal Government is poised to reveal the next phase of its ongoing 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program. This announcement comes as the number of applicants for the program surpasses the one million mark. Dr. Tijani shared this update via a post, where he also revealed that the next steps for the applicants will be communicated within the next 12 hours.
“Over 1 million applications for #3MTT – #technation loading. Look out for news on steps in your mailbox within the next 12 hours,” the Minister announced.
In addition to the remarkable number of individual applicants, a screenshot from the registration database posted by the Minister revealed that a total of 18,644 companies have applied to participate as service providers in the 3MTT program. Furthermore, 1,407 applications have been received from entities looking to be partners in the initiative.
Earlier, Dr. Tijani had unveiled a substantial funding boost for the program. A significant N1 billion in funding will be provided by IHS Telecom. This funding commitment from IHS Towers encompasses the payment of salaries for 37 dedicated learning community managers, each assigned to different locations, for the next three years.
The injection of funds from IHS Telecom stands as a significant boost to the Federal Government’s initiative, which aims to provide technical skills training to three million Nigerians over the next four years.
The 3MTT program is structured in three phases. The first phase is designed to accommodate 30,000 individuals, while the second phase plans to admit 300,000 participants. The ambitious target of training three million Nigerians in technical skills will be achieved in the third and final phase.
Dr. Tijani emphasized that the 3MTT program is a crucial component of the Renewed Hope agenda, with a primary goal of constructing Nigeria’s technical talent base to bolster its digital economy and position the country as a net talent exporter.
In the initial phase of the program, executed in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), numerous stakeholders will be involved, including fellows, training providers, partners, and placement organizations.
As described by the Minister, the government will select individuals with an interest in specific skills and cover the cost of their training with training providers who have been accepted into the program.
The first phase will focus on training and placing 30,000 technical talents, representing 1% of the overall target. It will operate based on a framework jointly developed with key stakeholders from government agencies, training providers, educational institutions, development agencies, and the private sector.
Among the skills that Nigerians will receive training in during the first phase are abilities that leverage technology to enhance various roles, even without direct involvement in tech creation. These include Digital Marketing, Project Management Software, Cloud Platforms Navigation, Data Analysis and Visualization, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), CRM Management, Accounting Software, Graphics Design, and UX/UI Design, among others.
