FG Targets Tech Employment at Scale for 3MTT Trainees

Government says placements, internships and remote work partnerships are central to converting digital skills into jobs

The Federal Government has outlined plans to directly connect beneficiaries of the Three Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme to employment opportunities, as concerns persist over whether large-scale digital training initiatives can translate into real jobs.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the government is deliberately building placement pathways to ensure that participants move beyond skills acquisition into internships, paid roles and long-term careers within the technology ecosystem.

Speaking during a television interview on Friday, Tijani explained that the programme was designed with employment outcomes in mind, acknowledging that technical training alone does not automatically lead to job readiness.

According to him, the ministry operates a dedicated placement team focused on matching trained participants with companies that require technical talent. He noted that many employers are hesitant to absorb interns because of short-term productivity concerns, a gap the government is attempting to bridge.

To address this, Tijani said the government secured support from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Jubilee Fellowship Programme, which covers the salaries of interns for up to one year, reducing the financial burden on host companies.

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He disclosed that nearly 3,000 interns have already been supported under the arrangement, while more than 15,000 trainees have been placed in various roles since the programme began. Although he admitted the figures remain modest compared to the programme’s ambition, he said the focus remains on quality, refinement and employability.

Beyond local placements, the minister said the government is expanding access to global opportunities, noting that several international companies are willing to hire Nigerian talent to work remotely while remaining in the country.

He added that the ministry is also partnering with business process outsourcing (BPO) firms to connect trained participants with remote and outsourced roles across different markets.

The 3MTT programme, launched under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aims to train three million Nigerians in technical and digital skills by 2027 as part of efforts to close the country’s skills gap and expand participation in the global digital economy.

Tijani said the initiative reflects the growing demand for technology-driven roles and the need to position Nigeria’s workforce for emerging opportunities in innovation and digital services.