The Federal Government opened the Digital Training Academy on August 17, 2026. Any working Nigerian, civil servants included, can register on the portal for free. That’s not the only free training route open to government workers this year, though. Some of these you apply for yourself online. Others you only get into because your ministry, department, or agency nominates you and pays for it. This post covers both kinds: what each one actually gives you, and how you get a seat.
About the Digital Training Academy the government just opened
The Digital Training Academy, DTA for short, is part of the Federal Government’s National Skilling Project. It’s run in partnership with Coursera. The target is 32,000 Nigerians across all 36 states and the FCT, all getting free learning licences.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opened | August 17, 2026 |
| Who can apply | Nigerians aged 18 and above, including students, job seekers, and working professionals |
| What you need | A National Identification Number (NIN) and an active phone number |
| Cost | Free |
| Portal | dta.education.gov.ng/learners |
| Skill areas | Software development, cybersecurity, AI and machine learning, cloud technologies, fintech, and more |
| Certificate | Yes, after training and required assessments |
Working professionals are named on that eligibility list. So if you’re a government worker with a NIN and a phone, you apply the exact same way a fresh graduate would.
How to apply:
- Create an account with your NIN and phone number.
- Complete your personal profile, then add your education and work background.
- Pick the skill track you want to learn.
- Take the pre-assessment. This decides what happens next.
- You’ll either get in immediately, land on a waiting queue, or get told you’re not eligible for this round.
- Once you’re admitted, training starts.
Passing the pre-assessment doesn’t guarantee you a seat right away. If your chosen track is full, you go on a waiting list and get notified when a licence opens up.
Learn more on how to apply here Federal Government Opens Digital Training Academy 2026 Portal for Free Digital Skills Training
Free courses from the World Bank Group you register for yourself
The World Bank Group runs its own learning platform, the WBG Academy, and also puts a good number of courses on edX. These cover the kind of work most government offices actually do day to day: public procurement, governance and anti-corruption, and digital transformation of public services.
Most of the World Bank Group’s courses on edX can be audited for free. Want a verified certificate for your file? Some charge a small fee for that part. Going through the course material itself doesn’t cost anything.
How to use this route:
- Search “World Bank Group” on edx.org, or go straight to the WBG Academy site.
- Pick a course under Institutions, Digital Transformation, or whatever theme fits your office’s work.
- No NIN or work ID needed here, just your email to register.
- If a certificate isn’t important to you, choose the free audit option.
No deadline here, and no cohort limit either. Start any of these today, go at your own pace.
Training ASCON runs that your ministry pays for, not you
The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON, is Nigeria’s oldest public service training institution, based in Topo, Badagry. You don’t register for ASCON on your own and pay from your pocket. Your MDA nominates you, and the training bill goes to them, not to you.
ASCON’s 2026 training calendar carries the theme “Developing Competencies for a Responsive, Digital, and Results-Driven Public Service.” Under it, you’ll find:
- Foundation training for entry-level civil servants just starting out.
- If you’re already senior, there’s an advanced executive programme built for that level.
- Short, specialised workshops that tackle one sector problem at a time.
- There’s also the Mandatory Training Programme, MTP, for chief executives of federal parastatals and agencies. Its 14th cohort just wrapped up.
You don’t apply to ASCON directly. Ask your MDA’s training or HR department if they have a slot for you in the current calendar, then let them handle the nomination.
Capacity building training the Public Service Institute of Nigeria runs
The Public Service Institute of Nigeria, PSIN, works the same way as ASCON. It’s the central learning institution for the federal public service. It runs courses in governance, leadership, HR management, and pre-promotion exam preparation for directorate officers.
Same as ASCON, your MDA sponsors PSIN training through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. Nothing comes out of your salary. Some of PSIN’s programmes run online, through its learning management system. So being far from Abuja isn’t always a wall.
Which of these four training routes to pick
| Programme | Who applies | Who pays | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Training Academy | You, directly online | Government, free to you | Digital skills: AI, cybersecurity, software development |
| World Bank Group courses | You, directly online | Free to audit | Procurement, governance, digital government |
| ASCON | Your MDA nominates you | Your MDA | Public administration and leadership training |
| PSIN | Your MDA nominates you | MDA, through OHCSF | Federal civil service courses, pre-promotion prep |
Want something you can start this week without waiting on anyone in your office? Go for the DTA or a World Bank Group course. If you’re due for promotion, or your MDA already has a training budget sitting there, ask your HR unit what ASCON or PSIN slots are open right now.
