Meta has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to launch AI Academy Nigeria, a programme designed to expand artificial intelligence skills and encourage innovation across the country. The initiative will give developers, entrepreneurs, students and young professionals access to practical AI training while creating opportunities for new technology-driven businesses.
Government Partnership and Minister's Statement
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the partnership would help Nigerians develop relevant AI expertise and create pathways for globally competitive startups. Tijani stated: “Through this partnership, we are equipping developers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals with practical AI skills while creating pathways for innovation and globally competitive startups.”
According to Tijani, the programme will also strengthen Nigeria’s growing AI ecosystem by promoting collaboration between the government and private sector while supporting the country’s ambition to become a leading digital economy in Africa.
Programme Structure and Training Areas
Meta said AI Academy Nigeria will provide participants with technical training, practical learning opportunities and support for startups. The programme is being implemented through the ministry’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), in partnership with Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN).
The academy will operate through three major areas: AI skills development, a startup pitchathon and a six-week developer bootcamp. Participants will receive training in areas such as developing generative AI applications with Llama, prompt engineering, multimodal Llama, generative AI for data analytics and the use of generative AI in social media marketing.
Free Courses and Incentives for Top Performers
Meta said the courses will be offered at no cost through self-paced online learning and virtual instructor-led classes hosted on Coursera, DeepLearning.AI and DataCamp. The company added that the top 100 performers will have the opportunity to receive scholarships for paid Meta Blueprint certifications.
They will also be eligible for up to $5,000 in advertising credits, providing additional support for participants looking to develop and promote their businesses or digital ventures. The partnership is expected to deepen access to AI education while helping more Nigerians acquire skills needed to participate in the country's rapidly evolving digital economy.
Context and Related Initiatives
Meta, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, earlier launched the Llama Impact Accelerator initiative to enable the development of impactful AI solutions in Nigeria. Legit.ng earlier reported that Google has announced its premium AI subscription, Gemini AI Pro, will be available free for 12 months to university students across Africa to build foundational AI skills.
Nigerian students are invited to take advantage of the opportunity designed to support higher education. According to Google, the offer is available to eligible students aged 18+ in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
