The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, have jointly reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to developing an integrated and inclusive digital education ecosystem across the country.
The commitment was announced during a special panel session at the Nigeria National EdTech Strategy Mid-Term Co-Creation Workshop held on Friday in Abuja, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank Group.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the initiative seeks to transform teaching and learning nationwide by creating a coordinated, technology-driven education system.
Speaking on the urgency of reform, Alausa said Nigeria could not prepare its youth for a digital global economy while relying on outdated teaching frameworks.
“Doing nothing, or doing what we did before, is a total failure,” he said. “We must embrace technology in how we deliver content to students, how we train teachers, how classrooms operate, and how learning materials are accessed.”
The minister revealed that hundreds of smart schools and digital teaching platforms were already being deployed. He announced that within four months, all classrooms in federal government-owned secondary schools would be equipped with smart boards, complete with embedded internet connectivity.
Acknowledging that many teachers struggle with data costs, Alausa disclosed that the government was working on zero-rated data access for educators, ensuring they can access digital training platforms at no cost. He also announced that beginning in January, a structured compensation system would reward teachers who engage in verified online professional development.
He added that teacher-support platforms had been redesigned to prioritise competence-building, reskilling and upskilling. “It’s not just about installing smart boards or building innovation labs; there must be systems that make them work, remain functional, and deliver results,” he said.
Alausa also revealed that Nigeria was rolling out real-time online subject instruction for junior secondary schools, using master teachers to deliver interactive virtual lessons accessible to both public and private schools.
In his remarks, Tijani stressed that no modern economy could flourish without a digitally empowered education system, warning that sectors operating in isolation never succeed. He pointed to the banking sector as a model for interoperable digital reform.
“Nigeria has the best inter-bank settlement infrastructure in Africa because banks built an interoperable system. That’s why your money moves from Bank A to Bank B in seconds. Education needs the same approach,” he said.
On expanding digital inclusion, Tijani announced major infrastructure investments aimed at connecting remote and underserved communities. He revealed that the government would install 4,000 telecommunications towers in rural regions, targeting more than 20 million unconnected Nigerians. These towers will be linked to a nationwide fibre-optic backbone to reduce data costs and increase speeds.
“Whether in Makoko, Borno IDP camps, or remote villages in Kebbi, every child must have access to quality digital learning content. Connectivity must become national infrastructure, not a luxury,” he added.
Tijani also disclosed ongoing negotiations to lower the cost of smart devices, including potential local manufacturing supported by Nigeria’s lithium deposits for battery production.
The workshop is expected to produce a practical blueprint for EdTech interoperability, teacher training, digital inclusion, and real-time content delivery. Both ministers stressed that the initiative would lead to measurable and irreversible transformation—not another policy document that fails to translate into action.
