The federal government has opened applications for organisations and individual technical experts to join the delivery network of its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, as it earmarks about ₦4 billion to support verified outcomes under the programme’s fifth and sixth cohorts.
The initiative is part of efforts to align Nigeria’s technical skills development with actual labour market demand, ensuring that training translates into employment, freelance opportunities and business creation.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy said the 3MTT Delivery Network would bring together organisations and individual experts involved in technical training to expand access to digital and technical skills while connecting participants with opportunities in the labour market.
According to a statement issued by Isime Esene, special assistant on media and communications to the minister, Cohort 5 will receive support from the European Union and Denmark through the GIZ Digital Transformation Center Nigeria, HAUS and ESTDEV, alongside a grant from the MacArthur Foundation through Blue Sapphire Hub.
The funding will operate under a results-based financing model in which financial support is tied to verified outcomes rather than the number of people trained. The approach is intended to ensure that training providers respond to demonstrated industry demand and prepare participants for identifiable employment opportunities.
Under the arrangement, organisations admitted into the delivery network will be classified as either Enabled Delivery Partners or Funded Delivery Partners, depending on their membership status and eligibility for financial support.
Funded Delivery Partners will comprise organisations that can demonstrate existing talent requirements, either for positions within their operations or vacancies available through their clients. They will be able to train fellows specifically for those opportunities, participate in selecting candidates for the roles and receive financing based on verified results.
Enabled Delivery Partners, meanwhile, will include organisations and individual experts involved in technical training, regardless of whether they operate from physical training facilities.
Members in this category will have access to the 3MTT Talent Operating System, the National Talent Registry, information on skills and roles demanded by employers, device financing opportunities and other resources provided by programme partners, subject to eligibility.
Speaking on the initiative, Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, said the expanded delivery network would strengthen the connection between technical skills development and employment opportunities.
“Reaching three million technical talents requires a delivery ecosystem that is responsive to industry demand, accessible across communities and built to scale,” Tijani said.
He said the programme was strengthening the pathway from skills acquisition to employment by directing support towards demonstrated industry demand and measurable outcomes.
Massimo De Luca, head of cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the EU was supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to convert the country’s young population into a skilled workforce with access to employment opportunities.
He said the delivery network would help establish a system that directs funding towards measurable results and connects trained Nigerians with available work.
Since its launch in 2023, more than 1.8 million Nigerians have registered on the 3MTT platform, while 179,000 fellows have been trained across four cohorts and the DeepTech programme, according to the ministry.
The programme has also reached more than 300,000 Nigerians through its wider community resources and opportunities, with over 200 partner organisations involved in its implementation across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Applications to join the delivery network are open to organisations and individual experts in Nigeria and abroad. However, organisations seeking funding under Cohort 5 must apply independently or as part of a consortium led by an organisation registered and operating in Nigeria.
Applications for Cohort 5 funding will close on November 30, 2026. General membership applications will remain open, with reviews conducted quarterly.
Interested applicants can apply through the dedicated website.
