AmazonWeb Services (AWS) Partnership to Reshape Digital Literacy within Nigerian Higher Education Institutions

AmazonWeb Services (AWS) Partnership to Reshape Digital Literacy within Nigerian Higher Education Institutions

**Nigeria's Education Sector Embraces Digital Future with AWS Academy Collaboration**

In a significant move to equip the nation's students and educators with critical 21st-century digital skills, the Federal Ministry of Education, under the leadership of Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has announced a collaboration with AWS Academy [1][2][3]. This partnership is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government and aligned with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) [1][2][3].

The aim of this initiative is to bridge the digital divide and create equal opportunities for learners and teachers across the nation, focusing on skills in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and other emerging technologies [1][2][4].

The project, which successfully onboarded coordinators from 43 federal universities and polytechnics during its pilot phase, is now expanding to include all federal, state, and private tertiary institutions — including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria [1][2][3].

State and private tertiary institutions can participate by nominating dedicated coordinators who will serve as liaisons between their institutions, AWS, and the Ministry [1][3]. These coordinators will then nominate lecturers who will enroll their students for the digital skills training. Institutions must submit their nominated coordinators’ details via an official Google form before a specified deadline, such as July 19, 2025 [1][3].

Participants in the AWS Academy program will undergo training and earn internationally recognized certifications at no cost, as the Ministry of Education covers 50% of certification costs, with AWS sponsoring the remaining 50% [2]. This makes the certification completely free for participants.

This collaboration represents a transformative step toward modernizing Nigeria's education sector by democratizing access to vital digital skills and cloud certification, ensuring that no student or educator is left behind in the fast-evolving digital economy [1][2][4]. The second phase of onboarding for the AWS Academy program begins in the coming weeks.

This collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education and AWS is a bold step in advancing inclusive, innovative, and skill-based education in Nigeria, aligning with the government's Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI). The AWS Academy program is part of the ongoing efforts to bridge the digital divide and create equal opportunities for learners and teachers across Nigeria.

1. This collaboration with AWS Academy will focus on providing education in data-and-cloud-computing, ensuring students and educators learn vital skills for the 21st century, following the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
2. State and private tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, can participate in this initiative by nominating dedicated coordinators who will facilitate the digital skills training, aligning directly with the aim of creating equal opportunities and bridging the digital divide.
3. Through the AWS Academy program, participants can earn internationally recognized certifications in cloud computing, AI, machine learning, and other emerging technologies, furthering their learning on education-and-self-development, at no cost to them, as the Ministry covers half of the certification fees, with AWS sponsoring the remaining half.

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