As Nigeria grapples with 30% youth unemployment and a widening digital divide, one state is rewriting the rules of grassroots tech training. This national crisis often feels abstract—until you stand in places like Awgu, where it takes on human form.
The morning sun cast long shadows across the dusty courtyard of the NYSC Secretariat in Awgu as corps members gathered for what would become a turning point in their service year. Among them stood representatives of Nigeria’s restless youth generation—graduates who had spent months wondering what their futures held beyond mandatory service.
The sentiment echoed across similar gatherings throughout Enugu State, where the Enugu SME Centre had embarked on an ambitious mission to bring the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Program directly to young Nigerians serving their country.
A vision born out of necessity
The story begins with Nigeria’s bold declaration under the Renewed Hope agenda: to position the country as a net exporter of technical talent. The 3MTT Program, launched by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy in partnership with NITDA, set an audacious goal of training 3 million Nigerians in globally relevant digital skills.
But ambitious federal programs often struggle to reach the grassroots. This is where Enugu State’s approach became revolutionary.
Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah envisioned something different for his state—a digital transformation that wouldn’t leave anyone behind. His administration partnered with the Federal Ministry to create the Enugu Tech Talent (ETT) Program, a localised adaptation that would train 5,000 residents for free, with Enugu State allocated an impressive 50,000 training slots in the broader national initiative.
The Enugu SME Centre, established in 2005 as a hub for supporting small and medium enterprises, became the vehicle for this transformation. What made their approach unique wasn’t just the scale—it was their decision to go where the young people were.
Bringing opportunity to the doorstep
Rather than waiting for applications to trickle in, the Enugu SME Centre launched comprehensive sensitisation drives across the state. They visited educational institutions, faith-based centres, and crucially, NYSC Secretariats in places like Awgu and Enugu East.
The choice to target corps members was strategic. Here were young Nigerians, already committed to national service, temporarily stationed across the state’s 17 local government areas. Many were grappling with post-graduation uncertainty in an economy where traditional career paths seemed increasingly limited.
“I never imagined I could begin my tech journey in a rural location like this. Knowing this is government-approved gives me hope.” — Typical response from corps members during sensitisation drives.
At the Bishop Shanahan College of Medicine in Nsukka, where a similar sensitisation tour took place, students expressed enthusiasm for courses in AI and data analysis—particularly relevant for healthcare professionals in an increasingly digital world.
A golden opportunity in unexpected places
When the sensitisation team arrived at the Enugu East NYSC Secretariat, they found corps members serving in the bustling suburb. Like many of their peers, most had begun their service year with modest expectations—complete the mandatory service, gain some work experience, and hopefully secure employment afterward.
The ETT Program presentation changed perspectives entirely. The program’s offerings were comprehensive: Software Development, UI/UX Design, Data Science, AI/Machine Learning, and Product Management. The 4-month curriculum required no prior tech experience and came with no hidden costs—a crucial factor for young people just starting their careers.
More compelling still were the additional benefits: paid internships for the top 100 fellows, unpaid externships for the top 1,000, device financing options, and 20GB of MTN data monthly for top learners.
Breaking down barriers
The program’s design addressed real barriers that often prevent rural and economically disadvantaged youth from accessing tech training. By making the program completely free and bringing it directly to NYSC locations, the initiative reached young people who might never have considered tech careers possible.
The digital divide in Nigeria isn’t just about access to technology—it’s about access to opportunity. Programs like 3MTT traditionally concentrate in major cities like Lagos and Abuja, leaving rural youth to imagine rather than participate in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Enugu approach flipped this script. Instead of asking rural youth to come to opportunity, they brought opportunity to rural youth.
This strategy integrates with Governor Mbah’s comprehensive digital vision: training 30,000 youths annually in digital skills and establishing Digital Skill Enhancement Zones across all 17 local government areas. The partnership with the Federal Ministry provided legitimacy and resources, while local implementation ensured cultural relevance and accessibility.
The ripple effect
As word spread through social media and corps member networks, applications began pouring in through the program’s online portal. The demographic was exactly what planners had hoped for: ages 18-35, including students, corps members, apprentices, traders, and job seekers.
For many participants, the program represented more than skills training—it was a gateway to reimagining their place in Nigeria’s economy. In a country where youth unemployment hovers around 30%, globally relevant skills offered hope for economic independence.
The success of the sensitisation drives provides a template for scaling digital inclusion across Nigeria. When students like Chioma Uchechukwu and Samuel Okeke expressed excitement about enhancing their careers through tech skills during similar outreach events, they echoed the hopes of millions.
The 3MTT Program’s first phase selected 30,000 fellows nationwide, with plans to train 270,000 more in subsequent cohorts. Enugu’s approach—taking training directly to rural areas and underserved communities—could inform implementation in other states.
More importantly, the program addresses how to transform Nigeria’s youthful population from a demographic burden into a dividend. By investing in digital skills training and making it accessible regardless of location or economic background, initiatives like ETT create pathways for young Nigerians to participate in the global digital economy.
A testament to possibility
As corps members across Enugu State begin their tech journeys, they carry with them not just new skills but new possibilities for themselves and their communities. Their stories remind us that transformation often begins with a simple decision to bring opportunity where it’s needed most.
The 3MTT sensitisation drives at NYSC Secretariats across Enugu State represent more than government programming—they embody a commitment to leaving no young Nigerian behind in the digital revolution.
In the dusty courtyards of rural secretariats and the busy halls of urban centres, the seeds of Nigeria’s digital future are being planted, one corps member at a time. The dawn of Nigeria’s digital transformation isn’t breaking in Silicon Valley or London—it’s rising in places like Awgu and Enugu East, carried forward by young Nigerians who dared to imagine bigger futures for themselves and their country.
