In partnership with the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria aims to provide substantial digital competencies to approximately 7 million youth, opening the doors to international job prospects.
The UAE-Nigeria partnership, established in mid-2025, is a significant step towards empowering Nigerian youth with digital skills, entrepreneurship training, and international exposure. This collaboration, aimed at promoting innovation, boosting employment, and connecting Nigerian youth to the global digital economy, is progressing steadily.
Nigeria has committed to empowering over seven million young Nigerians through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) initiative. The Academy, which already has over 210,000 participants, is expanding training centers nationwide across all 774 local government areas.
A key element of the partnership is the GITEX-powered National Digital Innovation Showcase, scheduled for September 1–4, 2025, in Nigeria. This event will spotlight 300 top Nigerian startups, providing them access to global markets and investors, thereby boosting Nigeria’s digital economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The partnership was solidified during the July 2025 visit of Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, to the UAE. High-level discussions were held with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) to collaborate on digital skills and entrepreneurial training under NiYA. Additionally, talks with UAE Minister of Artificial Intelligence Omar Al Olama focused on future cooperation in AI education, business process outsourcing, remote work, and startup incubation.
This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s broader economic reform agenda and seeks to foster innovation, job creation, and global integration for Nigerian youth through enhanced digital skills and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The need for large-scale digital skill development across all sectors in Nigeria has been underscored. According to the World Bank and IFC, by 2030, 35-45% of jobs in Nigeria will require digital proficiency. Much of this digital skill need will emerge outside core ICT roles, driven by broader business adoption of digital tools.
The discussions between the two ministers centred on AI-driven education, business process outsourcing (BPO), startup incubation, and remote work-critical sectors. The partnership also aims to address future youth employment and Nigeria's broader digital transformation agenda.
Minister Ayodele Olawande held talks with Sheraa during a four-day visit to the UAE. He stated that Sheraa's dedication to fostering talent and creating meaningful impact aligns well with Nigeria's vision. The collaboration between Nigeria and the UAE underscores the Nigerian government's resolve to equip its youth with essential skills, resources, and international connections for success in the fast-changing digital world.
The National Digital Innovation Showcase is co-created with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and its Director-General, Dr. Inuwa Abdullahi. The event is designed to open doors to global markets and attract investment for Nigeria's growing startup ecosystem.
[1] The Guardian Nigeria. (2025). Nigeria, UAE partner on digital skills, entrepreneurship training for youth. Retrieved from https://guardian.ng/business-services/nigeria-uae-partner-on-digital-skills-entrepreneurship-training-for-youth/
[2] ThisDay. (2025). UAE-Nigeria partnership to empower 7 million youths. Retrieved from https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/07/28/uae-nigeria-partnership-to-empower-7-million-youths.html
[3] BusinessDay. (2025). UAE-Nigeria partnership: Empowering youth through digital skills and entrepreneurship. Retrieved from https://www.businessdayonline.com/technology/uae-nigeria-partnership-empowering-youth-through-digital-skills-and-entrepreneurship/
[4] Premium Times. (2025). UAE-Nigeria partnership: Empowering Nigerian youth for the digital economy. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/technology/428496-uae-nigeria-partnership-empowering-nigerian-youth-for-the-digital-economy.html
- The UAE-Nigeria partnership, founded on digital skills empowerment and entrepreneurship training, is fostering a significant transformation in Nigeria's startup ecosystem by providing 300 top startups access to global markets and investors at the GITEX-powered National Digital Innovation Showcase.
- As part of a broader economic reform agenda, the partnership aims to address future youth employment and Nigeria's digital transformation agenda, bolstering education-and-self-development through AI-driven education, and stimulating the country's finance sector by attracting investment in technology-driven startups.
