Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology said more than 1.7 million people have completed the national EthioCoders programme, part of a plan to train five million citizens in basic coding and digital skills.

Seyoum Mengesha, the ministry’s executive responsible for the digital economy system, told Fana Digital that the initiative is designed to equip citizens with technology skills relevant to the current labour market. He said the programme remains central to advancing the country’s Digital Ethiopia agenda.

EthioCoders is implemented as a nationwide online training programme offered in partnership with the government of the United Arab Emirates. It provides short-term courses in web programming, Android development, data science fundamentals and artificial intelligence. The training includes mentoring and concludes with skill-based certification for participants who complete each module.

According to the ministry, around 2.6 million people are currently enrolled across the country. The government earlier reported that enrolment has expanded steadily since the launch of the initiative, with participation from secondary schools, universities and community centres.

Official figures from different phases of the rollout indicate that tens of thousands of citizens had completed the programme in earlier years. Certification numbers later increased, with reports showing that more than 269,000 people had been certified by mid-2025. The ministry now states that cumulative completions have surpassed one point seven million.

The programme aims to reach youth in all regions, with a target of ensuring broad access to digital skills training. Seyoum called on young people to take part in the initiative, noting that the expansion of coding and digital literacy is seen as a key element in building a more skilled workforce for Ethiopia’s emerging digital economy.