Meta and FG are giving free AI training, $5,000 grants and a trip abroad — see full list of requirements

• Meta, the Federal Government, 3MTT and RAIN launched a free AI Academy for Nigerians.

• Participants will receive free AI training through Coursera, DeepLearning.AI and DataCamp.

• The top 100 participants will qualify for Meta Blueprint scholarships and up to $5,000 in Meta advertising credits.

• Nigerian AI startups can apply before August 21 for a chance to win $5,000 funding, Meta ad credits and an all-expenses-paid trip to Meta's AI Summit in Türkiye.

If you've been saying, "I want to get into tech but I don't know where to start," this might just be the opportunity you've been waiting for.

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has teamed up with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN) to launch a new Artificial Intelligence Academy for Nigerians.

The programme is designed to help more Nigerians learn practical AI skills, build startups and even compete on the global stage.

According to Meta, the academy won't just teach people what AI is. Instead, participants will learn how to actually use it to build products, solve problems and create businesses.

The initiative has three major parts: AI skills training, an AI Startup Pitchathon and a six-week developer bootcamp.

Speaking on the partnership, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the programme is about preparing Nigerians for the future.

"Through this partnership, we are equipping developers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals with practical AI skills while creating pathways for innovation and globally competitive startups," Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, noted.

He added that the collaboration shows the Federal Government's commitment to growing Nigeria's AI ecosystem through partnerships and making the country more competitive in Africa's digital economy.

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Participants in the AI skills programme will have access to free courses on platforms like Coursera, DeepLearning.AI and DataCamp.

The training will cover areas including:

• Generative AI

• Prompt engineering

• Multimodal AI

• Data analytics

• Building AI applications with Meta's Llama models

To make things even sweeter, the top 100 participants will qualify for scholarships towards Meta Blueprint certifications and receive up to $5,000 worth of Meta advertising credits.

The programme is also looking for promising Nigerian AI startups.

Applications for the AI Startup Pitchathon close on August 21, while 10 startups will be selected to pitch their ideas at GITEX Nigeria on September 3.

The two winning startups will each receive:

• $5,000 in cash funding

• $2,000 in Meta advertising credits

• An all-expenses-paid trip to represent Nigeria at Meta's AI Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye, this November.

Speaking on the opportunity, Meta's Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Sade Dada, said Nigerian innovators already have the talent, they simply need more support.

"Nigeria is home to some of Africa's most dynamic AI talent. What many founders and developers need is greater access to practical training, funding and platforms to build impactful solutions," Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa at Meta, Sade Dada, stated.

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Selected developers and startups will also take part in an intensive six-week AI Developer Bootcamp organised by RAIN.

The bootcamp will focus on building real AI products with guidance from Meta's AI experts, helping participants turn their ideas into market-ready solutions.

RAIN founder and CEO, Dr Olushola Ayoola, described the collaboration as an important step for Nigeria's growing AI ecosystem.

"Building Nigeria's AI capacity requires the kind of coordinated effort we are seeing here," Ayoola remarked.

The initiative builds on the Federal Government's 3MTT programme, which aims to train millions of Nigerians with digital skills.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape jobs, businesses and industries worldwide, programmes like this could give Nigerian developers, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts the skills needed to compete globally without leaving the country.