By David Akinmola
Nigeria’s quest to build a globally competitive technology workforce has received a major lift as Aptech, one of the country’s leading IT training institutions, announced a new cross-border degree pathway developed in partnership with India’s Scope Global Skills University (SGSU).
The initiative, which offers a 36-month Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc.) in Information Technology with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, is positioned as a direct response to the widening skills gap that continues to limit the country’s digital ambitions despite a booming youth population and growing tech-driven investment.
Unlike traditional academic programmes, the new pathway is structured as an industry-led training model designed to produce graduates who are ready for employment from day one. It blends classroom learning, hands-on laboratory training, and international exposure—elements industry players have long argued are essential for nurturing world-class digital talent.
Under the arrangement, students will spend the first 18 months training at Aptech centres across Nigeria, learning core skills such as Python, Java, C programming, SQL Server, and AI-powered web development. They will then proceed to India for another 18 months of advanced, residential study at SGSU’s campus in Bhopal, where they will engage in intensive coursework, including deep learning, computer vision, MongoDB-based data science, and a final capstone project.
Executive Vice President of International Business at Aptech Limited, Kallol Mukherjee, said the programme reflects a long-term commitment to bridging Nigeria’s digital capacity gap. “Nigeria has the talent. What has been missing is a scalable and globally aligned training pathway. This model delivers exactly that skills training at home combined with an internationally recognised degree from India, a global leader in IT and innovation,” he said.
For SGSU, the partnership is a step toward deeper academic exchange between India and Africa.
The university’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Vijay Singh, said Nigerian students will benefit from a learning environment built around practical immersion. “Our approach is simple strong academic grounding matched with real-world application.
This programme gives Nigerian students the opportunity to experience both,” he noted.
Beyond affordability, industry observers say the timing is strategic. As Nigeria pushes to expand digital infrastructure, attract tech investment and formalise more of its innovation ecosystem, the demand for AI engineers, data scientists, and full-stack developers is escalating sharply.
Targeted at recent secondary school graduates, the degree is approved by India’s University Grants Commission and qualifies holders for global employment and postgraduate studies.
Admissions for the first cohort are now open, marking what Aptech describes as “a new era of accessible international tech education for Nigerian youth.”
