By 
The Nigerian government has announced a N1 billion partnership with IHS Towers to build learning communities across the federation for the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
RELATED: Nigeria targets to train three million technical talents in four years
Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani posted: “I am excited to announce a N1 Billion partnership between the @FMoCDENigeria and IHS Towers to establish the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Learning Community. This initiative, which is in support of our recently launched 3MTT programme, will facilitate the set-up of learning communities in the 36 states and the FCT. The N1billion funding from IHS Towers also includes a commitment to paying the salaries of 37 dedicated learning community managers for each location for the next 3 years.”
A landmark partnership that should firm up government’s ambitious plan to train three million Nigerians with technical skills in four years, the minister added: “This is the first in a number of partnerships that we will be securing in support of our targets, specifically for the 3MTT programme and broadly for the Knowledge pillar in our Strategic Blueprint.”
Under the three-year partnership, IHS Nigeria establish the 3MTT Learning Community to empower Nigerians with critical digital skills.
Tijani described the initiative as strategic to building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone to drive its digital economy and Africa’s most populous countr as a net talent exporter.
About 30, 000 Nigerians are expected to be trained under the first phase. More than 330,000 applications have been received.
According to the plan, learning communities will be set up in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide opportunities for the 3MTT participants to learn, collaborate and build projects.
The establishment of the learning communities will also strengthen local innovation ecosystems nationwide, the minister added.
According to IHS Nigeria’s CEO, Mohamad Darwish, “We are delighted to partner with the Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy and his ministry on the 3MTT initiative. We share the government’s commitment to Nigeria’s economic empowerment and growth, and hope this initiative will feed into President Bola Tinubu’s agenda on job creation, while enhancing technical skills.”
The first phase of the 3MTT will focus on tech-skills that include Digital Marketing, Project Management Software, Cloud Platforms Navigation, Data Analysis and Visualisation, Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), CRM Management, Accounting Software, Graphics Design, and UX/UI Design. These ate skills that allow trainees to support the workflow of organisations and not necessarily creating tech innovations.
COVER IMAGE: Punch
