The Federal Government of Nigeria has revealed plans to deliver free digital skills training and certification to students and educators across tertiary institutions level in Nigeria. The programme, championed by the Federal Ministry of Education, is in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In a statement on the Ministry’s X (formerly Twitter) account, it explained that the programme would focus on modern digital competencies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and other related fields. 

According to the Ministry, the initiative is part of ongoing efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to expand access to 21st-century skills and grow Nigeria to be a $1 trillion digital economy.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch a free digital skills program for students and educators, covering cloud computing, AI, machine learning, and more. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the programme will be rolled out to all federal, state, and private tertiary institutions. The best part? Certification is 100% free, split between the Ministry and AWS,” the statement reads.

FG launches digital skills training for students across tertiary education levels
Federal Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education explained that the initiative is already live in forty-three institutions and that implementation has commenced in federal schools which is already gaining momentum.

“Already live in 43 federal universities & polytechnics, the programme is expanding fast. Schools can now register coordinators to kickstart training. Don’t miss out, sign up now,” it said.

Also Read: How 230 million digital jobs will be created in Africa by 2030.

Call for application

As part of the effort to capture all institutions across the country, the Ministry extends participation by informing all school administrators to appoint program coordinators. 

Using a Google form, Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of Private and State tertiary institutions will submit details of nominated coordinators before the set deadline: on 5 pm, July 19th, 2025.

“The Office of the Honourable Minister kindly asks all Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of Private and State Tertiary Institutions to fill in the below form with the details of your appointed Coordinator by or before Friday 19th July 2025, 5 PM PROMPT,” the ministry stressed.

FG launches free digital skills training for students and educators in tertiary institutionsFG launches free digital skills training for students and educators in tertiary institutions

To enrol, institutions interested in the initiative are to complete an official nomination form via a Google form link.

Therein, institutions will be required to provide essential details such as:

  • First and Surname of the institution head
  • Institutions Name, Type (State or Private), Address, and Position: Vice Chancellor, Rector, or Provost
  • Contact information (WhatsApp) of the institution head
  • Appointed Coordinator’s full name
  • Coordinator’s designation/role at the institution
  • Coordinator’s phone number and email address

How AWS is bridging the digital gap

Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and government agencies.

A global leading cloud platform provider, Amazon offers reliable, scalable, and inexpensive cloud computing services, including computing power, storage, databases, analytics, networking, artificial intelligence, and machine learning services.

The partnership aligns with the company’s plan to bridge the gap in global digital skills. 

A 2023 research by the company revealed that 30 to 45% of jobs in Nigeria will require digital skills by 2030. The report indicates that Nigeria would need to build more capacity in digital skills by training more people. 

“We have seen that 30 to 45% of the jobs in Nigeria will require digital skills by the year 2030 and that means that capacity development and training and preparing people for this is going to be key,” it said.

To address these issues, a strategic meeting was held between the Vice President of Global Services at AWS, Uwem Ukpong, and Federal Government officials in December 2023, centring on how the country can be part of the AWS global plans to train 29 million people globally for free by 2025.

Previous initiatives: AWS Academy, AWS re/Start, and AWS Educate, the tech giant has trained over 50,000 Nigerians in cloud technologies since 2017. These Edtech programs are significant for reinforcing Nigerians with the required skills needed to thrive in a fast-paced growing world. 



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