In a significant stride under the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has secured a groundbreaking partnership with the United Arab Emirates to train seven million Nigerian youths in digital, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. This ambitious initiative, designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy and empower its young population, will be implemented through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA).
The agreement was sealed during a high-level visit to the UAE by the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, who led the Federal Government delegation in collaboration with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa). The program aims to provide grassroots digital literacy training, civic leadership education, and start-up development opportunities across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
As part of the partnership, over 210,000 Nigerian youths have already been onboarded into the NiYA platform, with plans to scale up to seven million. The collaboration will also culminate in a National Digital Innovation Showcase at GITEX 2025, where 300 promising Nigerian startups will be featured globally. Additionally, strategic conversations have been initiated with the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, H.E. Omar Al Olama, to enhance cooperation in artificial intelligence education and remote work capabilities.
This initiative not only reflects the Tinubu administration’s commitment to youth development but also positions Nigeria as a key player in the emerging global digital economy. With support from international partners like the UAE, Nigeria’s youth are set to become producers of innovation and agents of national transformation.