The initiative is designed to improve access to digital education, strengthen teachers’ ability to use technology in the classroom and equip young people with digital, employability and entrepreneurial skills that can support their future careers and livelihoods.

The progress was highlighted during a joint visit by representatives of UNICEF, Airtel Africa and government partners to selected schools and youth programmes in Lagos, followed by meetings with government officials in Abuja to review the partnership’s impact and discuss ways to sustain its progress.

The delegation was led by Garreth Spillane, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Airtel Africa. During visits to Government Senior College, Agege, and St George’s U.N.A. Primary School in Lagos, students and teachers demonstrated how digital tools, including artificial intelligence, are being used to support classroom learning.

At Yaba College of Technology, the team also observed young people participating in the Passport to Earning programme and using the Youth Agency Marketplace, known as YOMA. The platforms are intended to help young people develop digital and workplace skills, explore entrepreneurship and access opportunities such as mentorship and internships.

According to UNICEF, more than 19,000 teachers have received digital literacy training under the initiative. The Nigeria Learning Passport, one of the country’s major digital education platforms, has also recorded more than 2.5 million registered students and nearly 100,000 registered teachers.

A key part of the partnership is reducing the cost of accessing educational content online. Selected platforms have been made available without mobile data charges through a system known as zero-rating. 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 arrangement is intended to make learning resources more accessible to students and teachers who might otherwise struggle with the cost of internet access.

In Abuja, the delegation held discussions with officials from the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Education on improving internet connectivity, expanding access to quality digital content, strengthening teacher training and promoting inclusive learning. Child online safety, improved education data systems and sustainable funding were also among the issues discussed.

UNICEF Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Rownak Khan, said access to free digital learning could help narrow the digital divide while bringing children and young people closer to the knowledge and skills needed to shape their futures.

Khan stressed that girls, children with disabilities and learners in underserved communities should be among the first to benefit from the programme. She also highlighted the partnership’s role in supporting teachers and creating pathways that connect learning with employment and other livelihood opportunities.

The initiative forms part of a wider Airtel Africa–UNICEF partnership operating across 13 African countries. The programme focuses on connecting schools, removing data-cost barriers to learning, supporting teachers and expanding opportunities for children and young people to acquire relevant skills.

Despite the progress recorded, the partners have identified reliable connectivity, quality educational content, teacher capacity, online child protection and long-term financing as priorities for expanding the programme and improving learning outcomes.

The latest assessment underscores the growing role of digital technology in Nigeria’s education sector, particularly in efforts to broaden access to learning resources and prepare young people for an increasingly digital economy.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia