Nigeria’s wealth rooted in citizens’ creativity, not oil – Tinubu

FILE: President Bola Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria’s wealth lies in creativity and determination rather than crude oil.

He said his administration is poised to building citizens’ skills base to drive the country’s next phase of growth.

Speaking at the 3MTT National Impact Summit at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, he framed the Three Million Technical Talent programme as a core plank of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the route to a trillion-dollar economy driven by productivity and innovation.

Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

“Together, we are laying the foundation for a digital workforce that will power Nigeria’s next chapter of growth and shared prosperity.

“Nigeria’s most valuable resource is not oil or minerals, but the creativity, determination and potential of our people,” he said, arguing that countries that lead invest purposefully in the skills of their young population.

The President said digital skills now underpin growth across agriculture, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, education and the public service, shifting Nigeria’s role from a consumer of technology to a creator that exports talent and solutions.

He credited the programme with moving “from concept to nationwide impact,” citing more than 1.8 million applications drawn from every local government, jobs created, start-ups formed and solutions developed across the 36 states and the FCT, ensuring opportunity is no longer confined to major cities.

Tinubu praised the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for stewarding the mandate and acknowledged the private sector and development partners backing the effort.

The private sector partners include IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Moniepoint, UNDP and the European Union.

While celebrating progress, he stressed scale and continuity, saying “From inception, 3MTT was designed to scale and to drive sustained transformation of digital and technical skills across the country.”

He added that achieving the vision requires “continued collaboration and shared commitment from government, industry and the development community.”

Tinubu offered a direct assurance to the young Nigerians, saying, “Through initiatives like 3MTT, we are building genuine platforms for progress, not ceremonial commitments.”

He said the Nigeria his administration seeks “must be powered by skilled hands, guided by innovative thinking and driven by a generation ready to work, create and lead,” pledging that the government remains fully committed to its growth and expansion.

Tinubu argued that the programme is also restoring confidence among young people “that they have a place in the global digital economy and a future they can shape with their own skills.”

The Three Million Technical Talent programme is the Federal Government’s flagship digital-skills pipeline led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

Launched in 2023, it aims to train and place three million Nigerians in market-ready tech roles over multiple cohorts, using a nationwide network of community hubs and online learning across all 36 states and the FCT.

According to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijjani, the goal is to expand Nigeria’s digital workforce, boost productivity, and shift the country from consuming technology to creating and exporting talent.

He said, 3MTT delivers structured tracks, software engineering, data (analysis/science), product management, UI/UX, cloud, cybersecurity, AI/ML, DevOps, game development, IoT and related fields, through a fellows-and-facilitators model, industry-aligned curricula, and pathways to work including internships, apprenticeships and job matching.

With three years of experience, Stephen, The PUNCH correspondent, has been covering Nigeria’s presidency, politics, security, immigration and trafficking in persons

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