Through the 3MTT Delivery Network, organisations and experts will be able to train Nigerians in digital and technical skills, while helping programme participants secure jobs, freelance engagements and business opportunities.
Unlike conventional training arrangements that focus mainly on the number of people enrolled or trained, the new funding model places emphasis on measurable results and demonstrated industry demand.
The programme provides two main partnership categories: Enabled Delivery Partners and Funded Delivery Partners.
Enabled Delivery Partners will provide technical training and benefit from access to the programme’s shared infrastructure, standards and resources. Funded Delivery Partners, on the other hand, will receive financial support tied to agreed training and employment outcomes.
Under the results-based funding arrangement, payments will be linked to four milestones: commencement of learning, acquisition of verified skills, securing an economic opportunity and sustaining that opportunity for six months.
Qualifying opportunities may include employment, internships, freelance engagements or businesses established by participants using their acquired skills, provided the income meets the programme’s requirements.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said achieving the target of developing three million technical talents would require a delivery system that responds to industry needs, reaches communities across the country and operates at scale.
He described the fifth cohort as an important stage in strengthening the connection between skills development, employment and economic growth.
The funding for Cohort 5 is being supported by the European Union and Denmark through GIZ Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria, HAUS and ESTDEV. The MacArthur Foundation is also supporting the initiative through a grant administered by Blue Sapphire Hub.
The Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the EU’s support, noting that the partnership would help connect young Nigerians’ skills with employment opportunities.
The ministry has also invited employers, technology companies, funders, state governments and research institutions to participate in the wider 3MTT Partner Network.
Organisations and individual experts based in Nigeria and abroad can apply to join the Delivery Network. However, organisations leading applications for funding must be registered and operating in Nigeria.
According to the programme’s official application portal, applications for Cohort 5 funding will close at 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2026, while general membership applications will remain open and undergo quarterly reviews.
The 3MTT initiative has recorded significant participation since its introduction in 2023. Figures published by the ministry show that more than 1.8 million Nigerians have registered on its platform, while 179,000 fellows have received training across four cohorts and the DeepTech programme.
More than 200 partner organisations have also participated in delivering the programme across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The latest initiative builds on previous government efforts to connect trained participants with employment opportunities. In August 2025, the Federal Government announced plans to work with business process outsourcing companies to create opportunities for 3MTT fellows, including access to international work opportunities.
With the new Delivery Network, the government is seeking to strengthen the relationship between technical training and the labour market, ensuring that participants acquire skills that employers and businesses need.
Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia
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