UNICEF, Airtel Africa, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Education have expanded their digital education initiative, reaching nearly 600,000 students across 1,260 schools. The partnership, now in its third year, is working to bridge the digital education gap by providing connectivity, devices, and standardized learning through the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP).
During a visit to St. Agnes Primary School in Lagos, Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, emphasized the critical role of digital education in shaping Africa’s future, given that 40% of the population is under 16 years old. He noted that the initiative is making significant progress in providing equal learning opportunities, particularly in remote areas. Taldar reaffirmed Airtel’s commitment to scaling up the project and making it even more impactful.
UNICEF Lagos Chief, Celine Lafoucriere, highlighted the program’s sustainability, noting that technical support is in place to ensure long-term access to digital learning tools. She confirmed that 1.8 million students are now registered on the Nigeria Learning Passport, with further expansion plans set for 2025. She stressed the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and ensuring children, especially girls and vulnerable groups, have access to quality learning.
Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, reinforced the need for Nigeria to embrace digital education, stating that the world has already gone digital. He explained that Lagos State has been implementing its own digital education projects and sees the NLP initiative as a complementary effort. He also noted that sustainability measures, such as repairs and replacements of learning devices, are essential for the long-term success of digital education in schools.
The Nigeria Learning Passport is an online, mobile, and soon-to-be offline platform designed to ensure continuous access to quality education for students across the country. With the initiative gaining momentum, UNICEF, Airtel Africa, and the Nigerian government are pushing to make digital learning more accessible, ensuring that no child is left behind in the digital era.
