The Federal Government has partnered with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to provide digital skills training for over seven million Nigerian youth under the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) initiative.
This strategic collaboration was announced following a visit to the UAE by Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, who said the programme would equip participants with advanced digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership capabilities.
According to Mrs Omolara Esan, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry, the Minister met with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) to solidify plans for the programme. The initiative, she explained, aims to drive innovation, create employment, and integrate Nigerian youth into the global digital economy.
Minister Olawande noted that NiYA would empower young Nigerians with startup knowledge and leadership training while fostering connections with global innovation ecosystems. He said the Sheraa collaboration aligns with Nigeria’s vision of unlocking the potential of its youth through access to international platforms and exposure.
As part of the agreement, Nigeria will host a National Digital Innovation Showcase powered by GITEX from 1 to 4 September 2025. The event, to be held in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), will feature 300 top-performing Nigerian startups and offer opportunities for global visibility and investment.
Domestically, the NiYA programme has already enrolled over 210,000 participants and is deploying Greenhouse Centres across all 774 local government areas to support grassroots skills development and technology access.
Olawande added that plans are also underway for a GITEX Youth Local Showcase Series, further integrating Nigeria into global tech networks such as GITEX Africa.
During his UAE visit, the Minister also held talks with His Excellency Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. The discussion focused on joint programmes in areas such as AI education, remote work solutions, startup incubation, and business process outsourcing.
Olawande stressed that the partnership reflects President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a technology-driven economy and his commitment to positioning Nigerian youth as global innovators, not just consumers.
