$1tn Economy Achievable Only Through Innovation, Productivity — Tinubu
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on has said Nigeria’s drive to build a $1 trillion economy is anchored on boosting productivity, strengthening innovation and equipping citizens with globally competitive skills.
Tinubu made this known on Thursday at the 3MTT Nigeria National Impact Summit at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, he said national prosperity can only be achieved through deliberate and sustained investment in human capital.
Tinubu noted that in a world transformed by rapid technological advancement, only countries that consciously develop the digital capabilities of their young population will lead the future.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, he said, Nigeria must therefore continue to treat human capital as its most valuable asset.
According to the President, digital skills have become central to growth in sectors ranging from agriculture and healthcare to finance, manufacturing and public service, making the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme a critical driver of the administration’s economic transformation goals.
“A strong digital workforce creates jobs, expands enterprise and positions Nigeria to participate competitively in the global marketplace. More importantly, it shifts our role from passive consumers of technology to active creators and exporters of talent,” he said.
Tinubu commended the 3MTT programme for moving “from concept to measurable impact” with more than 1.8 million applications from across the country and early successes in job placements, startup creation and youth engagement.
He said the initiative is restoring confidence among young Nigerians by showing that opportunities are no longer limited to major cities but are emerging in all 36 states and the FCT.
The President also applauded the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for driving the programme, and acknowledged private-sector and international partners including IHS Towers, MTN, Airtel, Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Moniepoint, the UNDP and the European Union, for strengthening its reach and credibility.
While praising the progress made so far, Tinubu stressed the need for sustained collaboration among government, industry and development partners to scale digital and technical capacity nationwide.
“To the young Nigerians gathered here, and to the millions you represent, we believe in your capacity and your future. Through initiatives like 3MTT, we are building genuine platforms for progress, not ceremonial commitments,” he said.
He reaffirmed that the future Nigeria seeks must be powered by a digitally skilled workforce capable of driving innovation, economic competitiveness and shared prosperity.
In his remarks, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said that about 135,000 Nigerians have been trained under the programme in the past two years. Many have secured well-paying tech jobs or obtained opportunities for advanced learning in countries such as China and the United Kingdom.
Tijani noted that within the first month of launching 3MTT, over 1.8 million youths registered, demonstrating strong national interest. He added that President Tinubu has approved the deployment of 4,000 telecom infrastructure sites to rural communities to connect 23 million unserved Nigerians to the internet.
The Minister projected that by 2030, about 170 million tech-enabled jobs would be available globally, and Nigeria through its current digital inclusion strategy is positioning its young people to fill a significant share of those roles.
Tijani also highlighted extensive private-sector and institutional support from Google, Microsoft, IHS, Huawei, MTN, UNDP, the African Development Bank and others, stressing that the 3MTT programme remains open to all Nigerian youths “irrespective of status or class.”
He revealed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) provided laptops and digital devices worth ₦1.5 billion to beneficiaries, while about 15,000 participants have secured direct employment following their training.
The Minister called for deeper private-sector participation, disclosing that 3MTT now has community managers in all 36 states and the FCT, and more than 600 facility agents working across the 774 local government areas.
