Finland is spearheading a €23 million European Union-backed initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s digital public services, with a central focus on supporting the rollout of the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
The initiative, funded by the European Union, is designed to deepen Nigeria’s digital capacity by improving access to secure, interoperable and citizen-focused public services, while also building a skilled workforce to drive the country’s digital economy. By aligning with the 3MTT programme, the project directly targets the development of technical talent needed to sustain long-term digital transformation.
Maria Ruuskanen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Finnish Embassy in Abuja, said the programme would not only enhance digital service delivery but also strengthen governance systems and institutional capacity across the public sector.
The project, titled “Support to digital public services and talent management”, will be implemented by HAUS in partnership with ESTDEV, bringing European expertise into Nigeria’s digital governance space and reinforcing ongoing federal efforts under the 3MTT scheme.
Speaking on Finland’s role, Sanna Selin highlighted the country’s experience in building efficient digital systems. “Finland has a long and proven track record in secure digital governance, interoperability, and citizen-centric public services,” she said.
She added that Finland’s contribution to the initiative would directly support Nigeria’s ambitions to modernise its public infrastructure. “By bringing this expertise into the Team Europe Initiative, we are committed to supporting Nigeria in developing interoperable digital public services that meet the highest EU standards,” Selin stated.
She further noted that the collaboration would strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, improve data protection, and expand inclusive access to digital tools for both citizens and businesses, while also accelerating the implementation of the 3MTT programme.
