Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nearly one million Nigerian students have accessed digital learning through a partnership between UNICEF, Airtel Africa and the Federal Government, as efforts intensify to expand education access and remove connectivity barriers.
The initiative has connected nearly 2,000 schools and reached more than 20,000 teachers, including over 19,000 trained in digital literacy, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by UNICEF Communication and Advocacy Specialist, Susan Akila.
The figures were highlighted during visits by a joint UNICEF–Airtel Africa delegation and government representatives to schools and youth programmes in Lagos and Abuja. The visits assessed how digital platforms support learning, employability and entrepreneurship.
Led by Garreth Spillane, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Airtel Africa, the delegation visited Government Senior College, Agege, and St George’s U.N.A. Primary School. Students and teachers demonstrated how digital tools, including artificial intelligence, support classroom learning.
At Yaba College of Technology, young people showcased how Passport to Earning and the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) help them develop digital, employability and entrepreneurial skills. The platforms also connect participants to mentorship, internships and livelihood opportunities.
The partnership removes data-cost barriers by zero-rating selected educational platforms, allowing users to access them without incurring standard data charges.
Supported platforms 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, the statement said.
In Abuja, the delegation met representatives of the Office of the Vice-President and the Federal Ministry of Education to discuss reliable connectivity, quality learning content, teacher training and inclusive digital design.
The discussions also covered stronger education data systems, child online safety and sustainable financing to support the expansion of digital education.
UNICEF Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Rownak Khan, said free digital learning could help children and young people acquire the knowledge and skills needed to shape their futures.
She called for girls, children with disabilities and learners in underserved communities to receive priority. “Access to free Digital learning not only bridges the digital divide but also brings children and young people closer to the knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to shape their and country’s future,” Khan said.
Spillane said connectivity creates greater opportunities when students can access quality digital education and teachers can use technology effectively.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, said partnerships must align with government priorities and learners’ needs. She highlighted teacher capacity development, online child protection and wider access to quality digital content as key priorities.
Across 13 African countries, the five-year Airtel Africa–UNICEF partnership has connected more than 3,000 schools, provided free access to over 60 learning platforms and reached more than 2.5 million children.
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