Microsoft has disclosed that its long-standing partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria has trained more than four million Nigerians in digital and technology skills over the past five years, underscoring the country’s push to build a future-ready workforce.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Nonye Ujam, Director of Government Affairs at Microsoft West Africa, during a media roundtable held in Lagos. According to Ujam, the milestone reflects Nigeria’s growing commitment to digital transformation and human capital development as technology reshapes industries and public services.
Ujam revealed that recent data shows about 350,000 individuals have actively participated in Microsoft’s specialised student-focused programmes. Of these, 63,000 completed defined learning pathways, while 43,000 earned globally recognised certifications.
She also announced plans to train an additional 350,000 Nigerians in artificial intelligence skills through Microsoft’s AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI). The programme is being implemented in collaboration with Data Science Nigeria and Lagos Business School and is aimed at equipping Nigerians with practical AI capabilities.
According to Ujam, Microsoft is also prioritising developer-focused programmes to build a strong pipeline of technical talent. She noted that government-led initiatives such as Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the Three Million Technical Talent Initiative (3MTT), spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, have helped upskill developers within the public sector.
Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana Country General Manager, Abideen Yusuf, said Nigeria’s AI adoption rate currently stands at 8.7 percent, slightly below the Sub-Saharan African average. He stressed that the pace of AI adoption will increasingly determine economic competitiveness.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait. AI is reshaping every sector, and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead,” Yusuf said. He added that Microsoft’s approach focuses on three core pillars: innovation, infrastructure, and skills, with skills being the most critical.
Yusuf explained that by working closely with government, Microsoft is helping leaders, developers, and everyday technology users adopt AI responsibly and maximise its impact across sectors of the economy.
Providing further insight into the partnership, Mrs Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, said the collaboration has already trained 99 public sector leaders from 58 government agencies. She emphasised that AI skilling must go beyond technical knowledge to include governance, ethics, and risk management, particularly in sectors such as finance and agriculture.
Dr Bayo Adekanmbi, Founder of Data Science Nigeria, represented by Business Lead Aanu Oyeniran, highlighted the programme’s grassroots-focused structure. He noted that building capacity in evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption is key to developing a globally competitive workforce.
The Microsoft-FG partnership comes amid a broader push by the Nigerian government to scale digital and technical skills nationwide. In recent months, the Federal Ministry of Education has partnered with Amazon Web Services to deliver free digital skills training across tertiary institutions, while agencies such as NITDA continue to roll out large-scale digital literacy programmes.
As Nigeria accelerates these initiatives, collaborations between government and global technology firms like Microsoft are increasingly shaping how the country prepares its workforce for an AI-driven economy.
