With Nigeria’s education system facing deepening inequalities, UNICEF is turning to technology to bridge the learning gap between children in urban and rural areas, and between the rich and the poor.
At a media dialogue in Benin City, UNICEF Education Specialist Yetunde Oluwatosin revealed troubling statistics: 73% of Nigerian children under 10 cannot read or understand simple text. Only 1 in 14 children aged 7–14 can demonstrate basic skills, and a mere 7% of Nigerian youths have the ICT knowledge needed for a digital future. UNICEF stresses that the deepening inequality is exacerbated by poor infrastructure, teacher shortages, funding gaps, and a lack of digital resources. However, the agency is not just talking about the problems; it is also offering sustainable solutions.
One major initiative by UNICEF is the Nigeria Learning Platform (NLP), a digital education hub that has over 15,000 learning materials presented in video, text, and audio—available in English, Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo. The platform supports students, teachers, and even parents, reaching over 500,000 users since its launch.
In Edo State, this digital strategy is showing results. Through its EdoBEST programme, students now use tablets, teachers are digitally monitored, and lesson delivery has improved. “We now teach based on data,” said Dr Joan Oviawe, the state’s education commissioner. One of the teachers who is already benefiting from the initiative is Mrs. Akintunde Osahi, who has reported better engagement. Also, students like 13-year-old Jecinta Onyiloha say that the digital platform makes learning more fun and effective.
UNICEF and stakeholders urge stronger government support. As UNICEF’s Blessing Ejiofor noted, “Technology must be harnessed to make learning more inclusive, efficient, and future-ready.”
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