The Federal Government has opened applications for about N4bn in 3MTT funding for the fifth cohort of its 3 Million Technical Talent programme, inviting training organisations and experts to help equip Nigerians with digital skills and connect them to employment and other economic opportunities.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, announced the opening on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in a statement shared on his X account.

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The funding is being provided by the European Union and Denmark through GIZ, HAUS and ESTDEV, alongside a grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

Tijani said the funding would support verified outcomes under Cohort 5, with organisations able to participate through the programme’s Delivery Network.

“Today, I am pleased to open applications for the @3MTTNigeria Delivery Network, with about ₦4 billion available for verified outcomes in Cohort 5,” the minister wrote.

The Delivery Network is designed to bring together organisations and individual experts capable of training Nigerians in technical and digital skills, while helping programme participants, known as Fellows, move into jobs, internships, freelance work and other income-generating opportunities.

According to the minister, interested organisations can apply through two partnership pathways: Funded Delivery Partners and Enabled Delivery Partners.

Funded Partners are organisations that can provide verified economic opportunities for Fellows or establish clear routes through which participants can secure such opportunities.

They may apply individually or as part of a consortium.

Enabled Partners, meanwhile, are organisations and individual experts with the capacity to train participants, whether or not they have a physical training centre.

“Organisations and individual experts who can train people, with or without a physical space, can join as Enabled Delivery Partners,” Tijani said.

Under the arrangement, Enabled Partners will receive national recognition, access to shared training standards and digital infrastructure, as well as opportunities to publish their courses on the 3MTT platform.

Funded Partners will receive payments based on agreed rates for successful Fellows and independently verified results, rather than simply the number of people who complete training.

The programme identifies four milestones for determining payments.

These include the commencement of learning, acquisition of verified skills, securing an economic opportunity and sustaining that opportunity for six months.

An economic opportunity may be a job, internship, freelance engagement or a Fellow’s own business, provided it uses the skills acquired and generates earnings above the national minimum wage.

The official application portal also states that applicants will undergo document and capacity checks, while selected partners will receive orientation before signing partnership agreements and beginning programme delivery.

On eligibility, organisations and experts based in Nigeria or abroad can apply to join the network if they provide digital or technical skills training.

However, any organisation leading an application for funding must be registered and operating in Nigeria. Consortium applications are also permitted, provided the lead organisation meets this requirement.

Applicants are expected to provide details about their organisations, training programmes, delivery methods and previous experience.

The programme will assess applications using criteria that include registration status, teaching experience and evidence of previous training outcomes.

Applications opened on November 11, while the deadline for Cohort 5 funding applications is November 30, 2026, at 11:59pm West Africa Time.

Interested organisations can submit their applications through the official 3MTT Delivery Network portal.

The programme says applying is free, and submission does not guarantee selection or funding.

The 3MTT programme is one of the Federal Government’s major initiatives for developing Nigeria’s digital workforce.

It was introduced to build a pipeline of technical talent capable of supporting the country’s expanding digital economy and positioning Nigerians for opportunities in local and international markets.

Its training areas include software development, data analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, UI/UX design, animation and product management.

Tijani said the latest funding initiative formed part of the administration’s efforts to develop the skilled workforce needed to support President Bola Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1tn economy.

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The emphasis on verified employment outcomes also signals a shift towards measuring the programme’s impact beyond training numbers, with greater attention on whether participants can use their skills to secure sustainable sources of income.