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The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has unveiled the National Digital Training Academy (DTA), a flagship initiative of the Federal Government aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with advanced digital skills and globally recognised certifications to accelerate skills development and strengthen the country’s digital economy.

Alausa announced the initiative at the graduation ceremony of 928 beneficiaries of the one-year professional diploma programme under the World Bank-assisted Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project in Jigawa State.

The programme was implemented in collaboration with Baze University.

Dr Alausa said the Academy would be implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy through the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.

The Minister, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Mr Ikharo Attah, noted that the initiative is a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to build a highly skilled workforce capable of competing in the global digital economy.

‘The Digital Training Academy represents the next phase of our commitment to developing industry-relevant skills that will enhance employability, promote entrepreneurship and strengthen Nigeria’s economic competitiveness,’ he said.

The Minister explained that the Academy would provide advanced training and internationally recognised certifications in Software Development, Cloud Technologies, Cybersecurity, IT Automation, Product Management, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Connected Technologies, Natural Language Processing, Financial Technology, Parallel Computing and Quantum Computing.

He described the graduation of the 928 participants as evidence that sustained investment in digital skills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is equipping young Nigerians with practical competencies required to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Dr Alausa said the Digital Training Academy complements the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in TVET, noting that skills acquisition has become a major pillar of education policy.

He said the Ministry is expanding access to quality TVET programmes, modernising training institutions, strengthening partnerships with industry and creating multiple pathways for young Nigerians to acquire market-driven skills.

The Minister also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to data-driven education reforms through the National Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) and the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS).

According to him, both platforms are providing reliable real-time data on learner enrolment, teacher distribution, school infrastructure, learner identification and school safety, thereby enabling governments to improve planning, resource allocation and learning outcomes.

Commending Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, for prioritising education and digital innovation, Dr Alausa described the graduation as a demonstration of the impact of collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, development partners, academic institutions and the private sector.

He said such partnerships remain critical to achieving the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda and positioning Nigeria as a leading digital economy in Africa.

Governor Namadi said the one-year professional diploma programme had equipped the graduates with practical skills in Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Data Analytics and other emerging technologies.

He commended the Federal Ministry of Education, the World Bank-assisted IDEAS Project and Baze University for supporting the initiative and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding ICT infrastructure and youth empowerment through partnerships with organisations including NITDA, GLUWA and KOICA.

The governor announced that 30 outstanding graduates would receive laptop computers from the state government, while four exceptional participants had secured employment with Baze University.

He also unveiled the Jigawa State 12-Point Agenda Digital Portal, a platform designed to provide citizens with real-time information on government programmes across the state’s 27 local government areas and 287 political wards.

In her goodwill message, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the graduation as a reflection of the Federal Government’s commitment to producing digitally skilled, innovative and globally competitive youths.

She commended the Jigawa State Government, the World Bank, the IDEAS Project, Baze University and other partners for supporting the programme and urged the graduates to continue improving their skills and applying their knowledge to solving societal challenges.

Alausa congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to embrace lifelong learning and innovation, assuring that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to expand access to quality TVET, accelerate digital skills development through the National Digital Training Academy and strengthen partnerships that would equip Nigerian learners with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st-century economy.

Kogi-born activist and co-convener of Nigerians United Against Terror, Usman Okai Austin, has commended the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, the military hierarchy and local vigilantes for the successful rescue of abducted residents of Woro community in Kwara.

The victims, who were kidnapped during a deadly attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, recently arrived in Ilorin following their release after spending several months in captivity.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Okai described the rescue as a major breakthrough made possible through effective intelligence gathering, seamless information sharing and coordinated operations among security agencies and local security assets.

He cautioned against the politicisation of national security, urging Nigerians to support and cooperate with security agencies in the collective interest of the country.

In a related development, Okai also praised the DSS leadership for its commitment to internal discipline following the arraignment of retired DSS officer, Ihechimere Ezeakolam.

Ezeakolam was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre by Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over four counts bordering on alleged support for and involvement with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

Okai described the prosecution as a necessary step towards preserving the integrity of the nation’s security architecture. He urged the military and the police to adopt similar internal accountability measures to strengthen transparency and improve operational efficiency in the fight against banditry and insurgency.

According to him, maintaining strict internal accountability standards will enhance public confidence in the security agencies and promote professionalism among personnel across the country’s security institutions.

Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, has alleged that his elder brother, Jude Okoye, and twin brother, Paul Okoye, also known as Rudeboy, pressured his wife, Lola Okoye, to terminate their first pregnancy and claimed their late mother once confronted her during a family meeting.

The allegations were made in the eighth episode of Mr P’s ongoing video series chronicling the long-running rift within the Okoye family.

His claims came as Rudeboy reacted to another allegation in the same episode that their late mother, Josephine Okoye, mistreated Lola during a family meeting held years ago.

Responding in a brief post shared on his X account on Friday, Rudeboy wrote:

‘Unfortunately, you’re not here to defend yourself. Continue resting, Mum.’

In the video released on Thursday, Mr P recounted a meeting held at his Omole residence shortly after the birth of his son, alleging that their late mother, Jude, Paul, Tony and some pastors gathered to confront him and his wife over their relationship.

He said, ‘When we moved into Omole, our mom came to visit. My son was about five or six months old. When my mom visited, I gave her the master bedroom and moved into Jude’s room. I was expecting my mom to ask, ‘How is your new baby?’ My mom didn’t ask. She just said, ‘How is Lola? I hope she’s fine.’ She said, ‘Can you tell her to come?’ I said, ‘Okay, do you want to see the baby?’ She said, ‘No. Let her come first.’

‘Then Lola was living on the Island. How do you expect me to tell Lola my mom wanted to see her and ask her not to come with the baby? I had to lie to Lola not to come with the baby because we had fumigated the house.’

Mr P said Lola arrived at the residence without their baby and was led into the master bedroom, where the family meeting was already in progress.

He alleged that neither of them was offered a seat during the gathering.

‘Everybody was seated… I went to call Lola. When she entered the room, nobody stood up or said, ‘Lola, sit down.’ Nobody even bothered to welcome her properly. Lola and I just sat on the floor.’

Mr P alleged that their mother then told his wife, ‘Young woman, we the Okoye family have decided that you should leave our son alone.’

He continued, ‘I said, ‘What is going on?’ A few days earlier, Lola and I had had a small quarrel, so she looked at me thinking maybe I had planned this to evict the relationship. She said, ‘Babe, what’s going on?’ I asked my mum the same thing. Next thing, Jude said, ‘Leave our brother alone.’ I looked at Jude’s face.’

He further claimed that Jude later picked up a photograph of his infant son and made a derogatory remark in Igbo, which Lola understood to mean the child was a ‘bastard.’

‘Lola started crying. The pastors tried to calm her. They pushed Lola out of the house,’ he alleged.

Mr P also accused Jude and Rudeboy of trying to stop Lola from keeping her pregnancy, alleging that they questioned the paternity of the unborn child through an anonymous email.

‘Nothing that Jude and Paul didn’t do for Lola to take that pregnancy out,’ he alleged.

According to him, their late mother later accepted that the child was his biological son and directed his brothers to apologise, but he said the apology never came before she died.

Mr P also rejected claims that Lola had a strained relationship with their late mother, maintaining that she cared for her until her death.

‘When my mom was sick… Lola stayed with her in the hospital till midnight and took the pastors back home every day for over two months,’ he said.

He further alleged that before their mother’s death, she instructed Paul and Jude to apologise to him, but they never did.