GIZ Digital Skills Acquisition Program
Digital Portfolio Training, Curriculum Development, Copywriting (English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa)
In 2022, Socialander partnered with GIZ, the German federal enterprise for international cooperation, to deliver a free digital skills acquisition programme for 6,000 young Nigerians across the country. This was one of the most significant training partnerships Socialander has delivered, combining curriculum development, multilingual copywriting, and end-to-end training execution to help a new generation of Nigerians compete in a global digital economy.
Results
PME Beneficiaries Trained
Languages Delivered In (English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa)
Training Locations Across Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos, Benin)
Digital Skill Tracks Covered
Global Partnership with a World-Leading Development Organisation
Results
PME Beneficiaries Trained
Languages Delivered In (English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa)
Training Locations Across Nigeria (Abuja, Lagos, Benin)
Digital Skill Tracks Covered
Global Partnership with a World-Leading Development Organisation
Project briefing
How results where generated
The Brief
Socialander partnered with GIZ’s Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) and Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria (GIZ PME) programmes to design and deliver a Digital Portfolio Training Service for 6,000 beneficiaries under the GIZ Digital Skills Acquisition Program. The programme was delivered both online and offline across GIZ centres in Abuja, Lagos, and Benin.
The goal was direct: equip young Nigerians with practical, in-demand digital skills so they could participate meaningfully in the global digital economy, generate income, and reduce dependence on traditional employment pathways.
Who They Are
GIZ, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, is a German federal enterprise that promotes international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work. Operating in over 120 countries, GIZ works with governments, organisations, and the private sector to create lasting development impact.
In Nigeria, GIZ runs several programmes focused on economic development, employment promotion, and skills acquisition for young people. The Digital Skills Acquisition Program was one of several GIZ initiatives aimed at bridging the digital skills gap across the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
The Challenge
Nigeria has one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in the world, but digital skills remain unevenly distributed. Many young Nigerians have limited access to quality, structured training in marketable digital competencies, which leaves significant talent underutilised and disconnected from the global digital economy.
GIZ needed a delivery partner that could do more than just train. They needed an organisation that understood the African digital landscape, could develop and deliver curriculum across multiple disciplines, communicate effectively in multiple Nigerian languages, and manage programme delivery at scale across multiple cities simultaneously.
Specifically, the challenge required:
A training partner with proven expertise across multiple digital disciplines. Multilingual content capability to reach diverse beneficiary communities. The operational capacity to deliver both online and offline across three Nigerian cities. A curriculum aligned with real market demand, not theoretical frameworks.
Objectives
Deliver digital portfolio training to 6,000 PME beneficiaries under the GIZ Digital Skills Acquisition Program. Equip participants with in-demand skills that translate directly into employment and income opportunities. Develop and deliver curriculum across five digital disciplines. Create multilingual training materials accessible in English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa. Execute training both online and in-person across GIZ centres in Abuja, Lagos, and Benin.
Our Approach
Socialander approached this engagement as more than a training delivery contract. We built a curriculum that reflected what employers and clients in the Nigerian and global digital market actually need, grounded it in practical application, and made it accessible to participants regardless of prior experience or language background.
Our approach covered five areas:
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Curriculum Design:
We developed structured learning pathways across digital marketing, product design and branding, digital PR, and data analytics and management. Each pathway was built around real-world tasks and outcomes, not theoretical frameworks. -
Multilingual Content Development:
We produced training materials and copywriting in English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa, ensuring that language was not a barrier to participation for any beneficiary in the programme. -
Hybrid Delivery:
Training was structured to run both online and in-person at GIZ centres across Abuja, Lagos, and Benin, enabling participation from beneficiaries in different locations and circumstances. -
Beneficiary Support:
We designed the programme to support participants at different starting points, from those with no prior digital experience to those looking to formalise and expand existing skills. -
Programme Management:
Socialander managed end-to-end delivery coordination, ensuring that 6,000 beneficiaries moved through the programme with consistent quality across all locations and delivery formats.
Services offered
Digital Portfolio Training Design and Delivery
Curriculum Development
Multilingual Copywriting and Content (English, French, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa)
Hybrid Programme Management (Online and Offline)
Digital Marketing Training
Product Design and Branding Training
Digital PR Training
Data Analytics and Management Training
Results and Deliverables
6,000 young Nigerians completed the Digital Portfolio Training programme across Abuja, Lagos, and Benin. Training was delivered successfully in all five languages across both online and in-person formats. Participants left the programme with practical, portfolio-ready digital skills across marketing, design, PR, and data disciplines.
The partnership was covered by major Nigerian and African media outlets, including Vanguard, and was recognised as one of the most significant digital skills initiatives launched in Nigeria in 2022.
For Socialander, this engagement demonstrated our ability to operate at the intersection of digital education, large-scale programme delivery, and multilingual content, capabilities that are directly relevant for NGOs, development institutions, and government bodies looking for a delivery partner with both strategic and operational depth.
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