The laptop a 3MTT fellow needs, and how to pay for it
3MTT trains you for free and expects you to bring the laptop. The spec each track needs, what it costs in 2026, what C.L.I.C.K.D. covers, and other ways to pay.
The 3 Million Technical Talent programme is the biggest free technical training Nigeria has run: 30,000 fellows in the first phase from December 2023, then a second phase planned in cohorts of 60,000, 90,000 and 120,000 (NITDA, n.d.), with 160,000 people engaged by May 2026 (FMCIDE, 2026).
The training is free. The laptop is not, and it is not provided. 3MTT's own site is direct: "The only financial support for this phase of the programme will be the cost of training. Participants will be responsible for transportation, meals and other costs" (NITDA, n.d.). At launch the Ministry said it would "neither offer financial support nor provide fellows with laptops" (Ekhator, 2023).
This article sets out the machine each track actually needs, using the software makers' own requirements, what it costs in 2026, what the government's C.L.I.C.K.D. scheme does and does not cover, and the realistic ways to pay.
The spec by track
3MTT publishes no device requirement, so the right guide is the software you will be asked to run. Training is hybrid: "the majority of the training can be done remotely", with in-person sessions, and physical Applied Learning Centres have operated since January 2026 (NITDA, n.d.; Joseph, 2026). So the laptop has to work at home, on your own power and data.
| Track | The software that sets the floor | RAM | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software development | Android Studio | 8GB; 16GB with the emulator; 32GB recommended | An SSD with 32GB free. Intel N and U series chips "not recommended" (Google, 2026) |
| Data science and AI | MATLAB-class numerical tools | 8GB minimum, 16GB recommended | 5 to 8GB of disk for a typical install (MathWorks, 2026) |
| Data analysis | SPSS Statistics, Excel | 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended | A 1.6GHz processor (University of Windsor, n.d.; Microsoft, 2026) |
| Product design, UI and UX, digital marketing | Browser-based tools and the Office apps | 8GB comfortably | The baseline every guide recommends: 8GB, an SSD, a recent processor (Techeconomy, 2025) |
| Cloud, DevOps, cybersecurity | Virtual machines and containers alongside everything else | 16GB is the comfortable floor | An SSD of 512GB; the same rule as the emulator row |
Read the RAM column and the pattern is clear. 8GB runs every track at its minimum. 16GB is the real floor for software development with the emulator and for anything that runs virtual machines. The processor matters more than the brand: the cheap Intel N-series chips that fill the budget shelves are the ones Google specifically warns against.
What it costs in 2026
| Class | Price | Examples and source |
|---|---|---|
| 8GB, 256GB or 512GB SSD, new | ₦320,000 to ₦490,000 | Asus Vivobook 15, Lenovo IdeaPad 3, HP 15, Dell Inspiron 15 (Techeconomy, 2025) |
| 16GB, 512GB SSD, new | ₦673,245 to ₦942,543 | HP OmniBook 3, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3X (Ebenezer, 2026) |
| Used business laptop, 8GB to 16GB | ₦400,000 to ₦500,000 | HP ProBook 440 G8 (Ebenezer, 2026) |
For the software and cloud tracks, the used business laptop is the sensible middle: 16GB for the price of a new 8GB machine, if the condition and cover are in writing.
What C.L.I.C.K.D. covers
The government's answer to the laptop gap arrived in July 2026. CrediCorp launched C.L.I.C.K.D. with 3MTT as launch partner, to provide 1,000 locally assembled laptops, built by NASENI and Imose, with Fidelity Bank administering the credit; 77 fellows received devices in Abuja at the launch (Eseaga, 2026). The Minister's framing was exact: "Nigeria's digital economy can only thrive when our people have both the skills and the tools to succeed."
Three facts to hold alongside that. The first phase was "exclusively available to fellows in the 3MTT and Learn2Earn cohorts", with a second phase "coming soon" (CREDICORP, n.d.). The interest rate, repayment period and downpayment have not been announced (Ibemere, 2026). And 1,000 laptops is less than one per cent of the 160,000 people the programme has engaged. In 2024 the government also handed out 50 laptops a month to fellows (Akintaro, 2024). Real, and small.
The realistic ways to pay
- 1Apply for C.L.I.C.K.D. when the second phase opens, and treat it as a bonus rather than a plan. Watch the CrediCorp page, not WhatsApp forwards.
- 2Buy used business, not new budget. A ProBook with 16GB beats a new 8GB machine for the software track at the same price. Get the condition, battery health and warranty in writing.
- 3Spread the cost on terms you can read: 0% interest, a written schedule, no guarantor, an instalment you could pay in a bad month.
- 4Size the plan to the track. A data-analysis fellow can start on the ₦320,000 class. A software fellow who buys a 4GB machine to save money will buy twice.
How Pody approaches it
Pody is not a 3MTT partner and not a government scheme. It is a shop in an app, where students at partner institutions can pay for a laptop over time. A 3MTT fellow who is also an enrolled student at a partner institution qualifies for instalments; anyone can buy outright.
- Laptops from the makers and their authorised distributors, sealed with the full warranty; refurbished and pre-owned units state their condition and cover.
- From 20% today, the rest over 1, 3, 6 or 9 months, at 0% interest, with no hidden fees and no markup. A late payment fee may apply if you miss a date. Work out the instalments on any price.
- No payslip, no guarantor, no credit history, for students at partner institutions. See how it works.
3MTT gives you the skill for free and asks you to bring the tool. The tool is a known spec at a known price, and this page is the list.
For the wider picture on government device schemes, read what actually exists in 2026.
Sources
- Akintaro, S. (2024, May 17). FG to share 50 laptops monthly as 2nd cohort of 3MTT begins training. Nairametrics. Read the article
- Ebenezer, E. (2026, August 25). Five best back-to-school laptops for Nigerian students in 2026. Techeconomy. Read the guide
- Ekhator, O. (2023, December 8). 6 pressing questions about Bosun Tijani's 3MTT programme answered. Techpoint Africa. Read the article
- Eseaga, D. (2026, July 21). CREDICORP launches C.L.I.C.K.D, a device financing scheme with FG's 3MTT programme. Techeconomy. Read the article
- Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. (2026, May 6). 3MTT partners Hello.cv to place Nigerian tech talent on the global map. Read the release
- Google. (2026). Download and install Android Studio. Android Developers. Checked 19 October 2026. Read the page
- Ibemere, D. (2026, July 22). 5 key requirements to qualify for FG's loan to buy phone, laptop. Legit.ng. Read the article
- Ibrahim, A. (2024, October 23). 58% of Nigerian households connected to national grid, report. BusinessDay. Read the article
- Joseph, B. (2026, February 9). 3MTT opens Applied Learning Centres (ALCs) for physical learning to support digital skills training. MSME Africa. Read the article
- MathWorks. (2026). MATLAB system requirements. Checked 19 October 2026. Read the page
- Microsoft. (2026). System requirements for Microsoft 365 for home use. Microsoft Support. Checked 19 October 2026. Read the page
- National Information Technology Development Agency. (n.d.). 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT). Checked 19 October 2026. Visit the site
- Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation. (n.d.). C.L.I.C.K.D.: Credit for laptops, internet, connectivity and knowledge devices. CREDICORP. Checked 19 October 2026. Visit the page
- Techeconomy. (2025, October 10). Top 5 laptops under ₦500k for learning and light work. Read the guide
- University of Windsor IT Services. (n.d.). Software Depot support: SPSS 30. Read the page