Meta has launched AI Academy Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE), its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, the Na
Meta has launched AI Academy Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE), its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN).
The programme will provide Nigerian developers, startups, students and early-career professionals with practical AI training, technical development opportunities and startup support.
AI Academy Nigeria will run through three streams: AI Skills Development, a Startup Pitchathon and a Developer Bootcamp.
The AI Skills Development track is open to the 3MTT community and offers free courses covering generative AI fundamentals and the development of applications using Meta’s AI models.
The courses, delivered through Coursera, DeepLearning. AI and DataCamp, include Building Generative AI Apps with Llama, Prompt Engineering with Llama 2 & 3, and Generative AI in Social Media Marketing.
The top 100 performers will be eligible for scholarships towards paid Meta Blueprint certifications and up to $5,000 in advertising credits. The Startup Pitchathon will give early-stage Nigerian startups using Meta’s AI technologies an opportunity to pitch their solutions.
Applications close on 21 August, after which 10 startups will be shortlisted to pitch at GITEX Nigeria on 3 September.
Two winners will each receive $5,000 in cash funding and $2,000 in Meta advertising credits. They will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to pitch at the AI Summit by Meta in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 23–24 November.
Meanwhile, the Developer Bootcamp is a six-week programme delivered by RAIN for a selected cohort. It will focus on hands-on AI development, technical guidance and access to Meta’s network of AI experts.
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, said the partnership would equip developers, entrepreneurs and young professionals with practical AI skills while creating pathways for globally competitive startups.
Also read: Meet Jideuno Chioma, a 3MTT graduate with no tech background, now building a hospital routing system
Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa at Meta, said Nigeria was home to some of Africa’s most dynamic AI talent, but founders and developers needed greater access to practical training, funding and platforms to build impactful solutions.
Dr Olushola Ayoola, founder and chief executive of RAIN, said building Nigeria’s AI capacity required coordinated effort, adding that RAIN was proud to partner with Meta, FMCIDE and 3MTT on the programme.
The partnership supports 3MTT’s broader mandate to build Nigeria’s technical talent pipeline while connecting skills development with entrepreneurship and digital economy opportunities. Applications for the Startup Pitchathon remain open until 21 August.
