The Federal Government, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Airtel Africa are stepping up efforts to expand access to free digital education and technology-driven skills development for children and young people across Nigeria.
The renewed commitment followed a joint assessment visit to schools and youth programmes in Lagos, alongside high-level engagements with government officials in Abuja to review progress and identify ways to strengthen digital learning.
The delegation, led by Garreth Spillane, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Airtel Africa, visited Government Senior College, Agege, St George’s U.N.A. Primary School and Yaba College of Technology.
During the visits, students and teachers demonstrated how digital learning resources, including artificial intelligence tools, are being incorporated into education. At Yaba College of Technology, young people also showcased skills acquired through the Passport to Earning programme and the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), which support digital literacy, entrepreneurship and employability.
The platforms also connect young people to opportunities such as mentorship, internships and livelihood development.
The partners said the initiative has extended connectivity to nearly 2,000 schools nationwide, benefiting about one million students and more than 20,000 teachers. Over 19,000 teachers have received digital literacy training.
To make digital education more affordable, Airtel provides zero-rated access to selected platforms, allowing users to access educational resources without data charges. These include the Nigeria Learning Passport, the Federal Ministry of Education’s Inspire and Ignite platforms, the Digital National Education Management Information System and YOMA.
The Nigeria Learning Passport alone has more than 2.5 million registered students and nearly 100,000 registered teachers, according to the partners.
In Abuja, the delegation met with representatives of the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Education to discuss strategies for improving digital education delivery.
Discussions centred on reliable internet connectivity, access to quality learning materials, teacher development, inclusive digital learning, stronger education data systems, online child protection and sustainable financing.
UNICEF Nigeria Deputy Representative, Dr Rownak Khan, said free digital learning could help close the digital divide and equip young people with the knowledge and skills required to participate in the country’s development.
She noted that the partnership was helping teachers and creating pathways from learning to employment, while stressing the need to prioritise girls, children with disabilities and learners in underserved communities.
Spillane said internet connectivity could have a transformative impact when combined with quality educational content and the effective use of digital tools by teachers.
It was reaffirmed that Airtel Africa’s commitment to collaborating with UNICEF and governments to connect schools, remove data-cost barriers and support teachers across the continent.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, said stronger partnerships were essential to transforming Nigeria’s education system and ensuring that digital initiatives aligned with government priorities and learners’ needs.
She called for greater investment in teachers’ capacity, quality digital content and online safety, alongside efforts to ensure that children could access digital education regardless of where they live.
Beyond Nigeria, the five-year Airtel Africa–UNICEF partnership operates across 13 African countries. The organisations said the initiative has connected more than 3,000 schools, provided zero-rated access to over 60 learning platforms and reached more than 2.5 million children.
The partners pledged to sustain their collaboration with governments and other stakeholders to widen digital inclusion and improve access to education, skills development and economic opportunities for young people.
