In a bid to transform Nigeria’s education sector through technology, the Federal Ministry of Education has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a cloud computing platform that provides on-demand access to IT resources to organizations and individuals, to launch a free digital skills training programme for students and educators across the country.
Spearheaded by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, the initiative is part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and aligns with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI). It seeks to equip participants with in-demand 21st-century skills in areas such as cloud computing, machine learning, and other emerging technologies.
Describing the project as both timely and transformative, Dr Alausa highlighted its potential to prepare Nigerian students and lecturers for the demands of the global digital economy. “This initiative is designed to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to high-impact learning opportunities for all,” he said.
The pilot phase has already onboarded coordinators from 43 federal universities and polytechnics. The Ministry is now expanding the programme to include all federal, state, and private tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Vice-Chancellors, Provosts, and Rectors are invited to nominate institutional coordinators who will serve as key liaisons with AWS and the Ministry. These coordinators will nominate lecturers, who will facilitate student enrolment into the training.
To ensure financial accessibility, the certification costs will be fully covered, with the Ministry funding 50%, and AWS sponsoring the remaining 50%, making the programme completely free for participants.
The second phase of onboarding is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. The Ministry urges all eligible institutions to act promptly and secure their placement in this groundbreaking programme.
This collaboration with AWS represents a major step toward building an inclusive, future-ready education system in Nigeria, one that leaves no learner or educator behind in the digital age.
