Nigeria’s ambitious 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program has secured an additional €11 million in funding from the European Union and the Government of Denmark. The announcement came during the official launch of the 3MTT Partner Network in Lagos on March 26, marking the transition to full implementation under 3MTT 2.0.
The EU contributed €5 million while Denmark provided €6 million—part of broader international support for Nigeria’s digital skills initiative aimed at training three million citizens in high-demand fields like software development, data science, and cybersecurity. Communications Minister Dr Bosun Tijani emphasized that this funding aligns with global demand for digital talent while addressing Nigeria’s demographic dividend.
“Without ubiquitous access and meaningful participation, there’s not much we can achieve,” Tijani stated. “Without skilled people, a nation cannot effectively utilize digital technology.” He highlighted connectivity, governance, and human capital as essential components of Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
The 3MTT program has already trained 135,000 fellows through 200 active learning centers nationwide. Corporate partners including IHS Towers, MTN, Airtel, AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Huawei have pledged over $25 billion in support—representing one of the largest private-sector mobilizations for a national talent initiative.
Looking ahead, officials say 3MTT 2.0 will focus on job placement, entrepreneurship support, and creating ecosystems where trained professionals can innovate both locally and internationally. The program forms a key pillar of the federal government’s Renewed Hope agenda to expand Nigeria’s digital economy and transform it into a net exporter of technical expertise.