For Nigeria to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy, the race for digital talent cannot begin at the university level. It must start much earlier—when children are still discovering how computers work, experimenting with code and learning to turn curiosity into solutions.
That appears to be the thinking behind the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) growing investment in children and young people through coding bootcamps, emerging technology training and other digital skills development programmes across the country.
In 2026, the agency intensified that effort, taking practical technology education to children in different parts of Nigeria and exposing them to fields that are rapidly reshaping the global economy, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning, data science, Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision, drone technology, autonomous systems, 3D design, game development, animation and digital creativity.
From Enugu and Port Harcourt to Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Jigawa and Gombe, the message has been consistent: Nigerian children should not grow up merely consuming technology—they should be equipped to create it.
Turning holiday learning into technology laboratories
One of the initiatives was the Enugu Kids Coding and Emerging Technology Bootcamp, organised by NITDA in collaboration with the Enugu MSME and Startup Agency.
The programme provided primary and secondary school students with hands-on exposure to a range of emerging technologies, moving learning beyond conventional classroom theory.
Participants explored Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Robotics and Automation, Drone Technology, Autonomous Systems and 3D Design, among other areas.
Rather than presenting technology as an abstract subject, the bootcamp encouraged the children to interact with it practically, helping them understand how digital tools can be used to identify problems and develop solutions.
At the closing ceremony, the South-East Zonal Director of NITDA, represented by Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, challenged the participants to build on the knowledge they had acquired.
He urged them to look beyond the classroom, embrace innovation and use technology to address real-world challenges.
The message was particularly significant for children at a stage when career interests and ambitions are beginning to take shape. Early exposure to emerging technologies can help demystify fields that may otherwise appear distant or inaccessible.
Certificates were presented to the participants, while outstanding students received laptops and tablets in recognition of their performances.
Lagos: Moving children from users to creators
In Lagos, another 200 young Nigerians completed the NITDA Summer Training Programme and Free Long Vacation Young School Kids Coding Bootcamp at the Federal Technical College, Yaba.
The programme, organised in collaboration with Cisco and UNITeS Academy, offered practical training in coding, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, robotics, game development, animation and digital creativity.
But its significance went beyond the acquisition of technical skills.
The programme was also designed to strengthen problem-solving, critical thinking and computational abilities—competencies increasingly regarded as essential in an economy where technology is becoming embedded in virtually every sector.
For the participants, the long vacation became an opportunity to explore careers that many of them may previously have encountered only through textbooks or the internet.
As certificates were presented at the end of the programme, parents, school authorities and participants celebrated what was described as a transformative learning experience.
The ultimate ambition, however, is much bigger: to encourage children to move from being passive consumers of digital products to becoming programmers, engineers, innovators, animators, entrepreneurs and creators capable of developing solutions for Nigeria and the wider world.
Port Harcourt and the rise of the ‘Tech Stars’
That same ambition was reflected in Port Harcourt, where NITDA, in partnership with the Centre for Information and Telecommunication Engineering (CITE), University of Port Harcourt, concluded the CITE-NITDA Tech Stars 2026 programme.
The one-month intensive training, implemented across Port Harcourt and four other locations in Kwara, Jigawa, Gombe and Kano, targeted primary, junior and senior secondary school students.
Participants were introduced to foundational concepts in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Coding, Data Science and other digital competencies.
At the University of Port Harcourt, successful participants received certificates, while outstanding performers in different categories were rewarded with laptops and tablets.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Chike Princewill Chike, congratulated the students and encouraged them to translate their newly acquired knowledge into practical solutions to socio-economic challenges.
His charge captured a central objective of the initiative: training children is not enough; they must also be encouraged to apply what they learn.
A nationwide digital talent pipeline
The activities in the South-East and South-South complement NITDA’s 2026 Kids Long Vacation Coding Bootcamp, which was concluded across Kano, Kwara, Jigawa and Gombe.
The initiative gave children foundational knowledge of coding, computational thinking, digital creativity and emerging technologies.
Importantly, the programme did not focus exclusively on technical competencies. Participants were also encouraged to develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, persistence and problem-solving skills.
This broader approach reflects an understanding that success in the technology sector requires more than the ability to write computer code.
Technology innovators must be able to identify problems, work with others, experiment, accept failure, refine ideas and persist until solutions emerge.
At the closing ceremonies in the four states, participants received certificates and gadgets in recognition of their achievements, while similar activities continued in the South-East and South-South regions.
The geographical spread of the programmes is significant.
Nigeria’s digital economy cannot be sustained by a concentration of technology talent in Lagos, Abuja or a handful of major cities. If the country is to develop a broad-based digital workforce, young people in different regions must have opportunities to acquire relevant skills.
NITDA’s expansion of the coding bootcamp model across geopolitical zones therefore represents an attempt to democratise early access to digital education.
Beyond coding: Building resilience and curiosity
For NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, the children emerging from these programmes represent more than students who have completed a holiday course.
Represented by the Director, Special Duties Office, Babajide Ajayi, Inuwa described the participants as “young digital creators, innovators and potential technology leaders.”
He urged them to remain confident, curious and courageous while putting their new knowledge into practice through personal projects, technology competitions, experimentation with emerging tools and collaboration with their peers.
Perhaps most importantly, he encouraged the children not to regard failure as the end of the road.
“When something does not work, do not be discouraged. Identify the problem, learn from it, improve your solution and try again,” he said.
That philosophy strikes at the heart of innovation.
In technology, unsuccessful attempts are often part of the process of discovering what works. By encouraging children to experiment, fail, learn and try again, programmes of this nature can cultivate not only technical knowledge but also the mindset required for innovation.
The role of parents
The success of such interventions, however, cannot rest entirely with government agencies and training providers.
Inuwa also called on parents and guardians to sustain the children’s interest by encouraging responsible exploration of technology and nurturing their individual talents.
This is a crucial component of the digital talent equation.
A child may discover coding during a two- or four-week bootcamp, but whether that initial exposure develops into a lasting interest may depend on what happens after the programme ends.
Access to computers, appropriate digital resources, mentorship, competitions, online learning and encouragement at home can determine whether a child’s first encounter with technology becomes a short-lived holiday experience or the beginning of a career.
Planting the seeds of Nigeria’s digital future
Nigeria’s youthful population presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
With technology transforming industries, government, education, finance, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing and virtually every aspect of modern life, countries with strong pools of digitally skilled young people will have a significant advantage.
For Nigeria, developing that talent pool requires starting early.
The coding bootcamps in Enugu, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kwara, Jigawa and Gombe demonstrate an emerging model in which children are introduced not only to computers but also to the technologies likely to shape the next decade.
AI, robotics, autonomous systems, data science and IoT are no longer distant concepts reserved for research laboratories. They are becoming part of everyday economic and social life.
By placing these technologies in the hands of schoolchildren, NITDA is attempting to change the narrative around Nigeria’s digital future—from one centred largely on technology consumption to one driven by local creation and innovation.
The laptops and tablets handed to outstanding participants may be tangible rewards, but the more important outcome is less visible: the confidence of a child who has discovered that he or she can build something with technology.
That confidence, nurtured over time, could become the foundation of a new generation of Nigerian programmers, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and digital innovators.
The real test, therefore, will not be how many certificates are awarded at the end of each bootcamp. It will be how many of these young participants continue learning, building and solving problems long after the holiday programmes have ended.
For NITDA, the larger mission is clear: *Nigeria’s digital transformation must begin with its children.*
