The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Airtel Africa and the Federal Government have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding access to free digital education, technology skills and employment opportunities for Nigerian children and young people.
The commitment followed visits by a joint delegation to schools and youth development programmes in Lagos and Abuja to assess the impact of the partnership on digital learning and skills acquisition.
Led by Garreth Spillane, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Airtel Africa, the delegation observed how students, teachers and young people were using digital platforms to improve learning outcomes and develop skills for future employment.
At Government Senior College, Agege, and St George’s U.N.A. Primary School, Lagos, students and teachers demonstrated the use of digital learning resources, including artificial intelligence tools.
The team also visited Yaba College of Technology, where young people showcased how the Passport to Earning initiative and Youth Agency Marketplace, also known as YOMA, are helping them develop digital, entrepreneurial and employability skills.
The platforms also provide opportunities for mentorship, internships and livelihood development.
According to the partners, the initiative has connected nearly 2,000 schools across Nigeria, reaching approximately one million students and more than 20,000 teachers. More than 19,000 teachers have also received digital literacy training.
The collaboration seeks to eliminate data-cost barriers by providing zero-rated access to 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 recorded more than 2.5 million registered students and nearly 100,000 registered teachers, according to the partners.
In Abuja, the delegation held discussions with the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Education on measures to strengthen digital education delivery.
Key areas of focus included reliable internet connectivity, quality educational content, teacher training, inclusive learning design, improved education data systems, child online safety and sustainable funding.
The partners said these priorities would be central to ensuring that digital education translates into better learning outcomes for children across the country.
Speaking on the initiative, UNICEF Nigeria Deputy Representative, Dr Rownak Khan, said access to free digital learning could help bridge the digital divide while equipping children and young people with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to national development.
Khan said the partnership was supporting teachers and creating pathways from education to employment, adding that girls, children with disabilities and learners in underserved communities must be prioritised.
Also speaking, Spillane said connectivity could create significant opportunities when combined with quality digital learning resources and effective use of technology by teachers.
He reaffirmed Airtel Africa’s commitment to working with UNICEF and governments to connect schools, remove data costs through zero-rated learning platforms and strengthen teachers’ capacity across the continent.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, said transforming Nigeria’s education sector required partnerships aligned with government priorities and the needs of learners.
She stressed the importance of improving teachers’ capacity, expanding access to quality digital content, protecting children online and ensuring that every child could benefit from digital learning, regardless of location.
Across 13 African countries, the five-year partnership between Airtel Africa and UNICEF 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 organisations said they would continue working with governments and other stakeholders to expand digital inclusion and ensure that children and young people, particularly those in underserved communities, have greater access to education and future economic opportunities.
