The Federal Government is shifting education system towards a youth-led and digital skills-driven model as part of ongoing reforms in the sector. But some stakeholders warned that such digital literacy initiatives are not moving in the direction of equipping students with the required digital and country-specific skills. Nigeria’s education system, they said, needs a deliberate shift in focus, prioritising skills that drive national growth, Assistant Editor Bola Olajuwon reports
Statistics indicate that millions of Nigerian youth lack digital literacy, and only 11% of graduates possess formal digital training in an age where coding, data science, AI, UI/UX design, cloud computing, and digital marketing are in high demand. Experts believe that with half the population under 20, providing these skills is critical for national development and international employability.
Many stakeholders blamed inadequate infrastructure, limited internet access (only 36% coverage), and outdated curricula as hindering digital training. These and other systemic issues, combined with inadequate digital infrastructure, are leaving millions of Nigerian children without access to quality education and the digital skills needed for the future.
A stakeholder and National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Hassan Soweto, in an interview with The Nation, said it was crystal clear that the education system has not yet resolved the crisis of basic infrastructural necessities needed for effective teaching and learning.
“It is sad that we are still struggling with inability to provide conducive classroom when education has gone beyond this stage. There is hardly any public institution that can boost of a digitalised ICT facility. Many are still struggling to provide blackboards. Therefore, such a system is not moving in the direction of equipping students with digital skills,” Soweto said.
But, Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED) President, Mr. Emmanuel Orji, noted that the question of whether Nigeria’s education system equips students with digital skills is complex, given the system’s segmented nature.
According to him, while some privileged schools offer digital skills training, the majority of students lack access to these opportunities.
“Honestly, the ratio of those with digital skills to those without is concerning,” Orji said.
Fed Govt shifting education system towards skills-driven model, says Alausa
The Federal Government has said it is shifting Nigeria’s education system towards a youth-led and skills-driven model, as part of ongoing reforms in the sector.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, said education remains central to national development but acknowledged “persistent global and national challenges such as access gaps, learning poverty, skills mismatches, and gender disparities.”
He said reforms being implemented by the Ministry of Education aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which places education at the centre of economic growth and social development. According to him, funding for the sector has increased through budgetary allocations, non-budgetary financing and partnerships with international development partners.
The minister listed ongoing interventions under the Education Transformation Roadmap as including curriculum rationalisation, expansion of digital learning platforms, strengthening of teacher capacity in modern pedagogy and artificial intelligence, expansion of technical and vocational education and training, and infrastructure upgrades.
He said the reforms are aimed at repositioning education to respond to labour market needs, noting that more than half of Nigeria’s population is under 30 years of age.
According to the minister, the ministry is moving away from traditional top-down education models to a participatory approach that involves learners in shaping education outcomes through innovation hubs, digital tools and feedback mechanisms.
He said achievements recorded under the current reforms include “the rollout of the Nigerian Education Sector Renewed Initiative; deployment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training learners across accredited centres nationwide; repositioning of TVET as a major driver of employment and entrepreneurship; expanded medical, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine, and nursing education enrolment; refocused and expanded scholarship opportunities; student venture capital and staff support funding; strengthened education data transparency; accelerated digital learning; and targeted interventions for out-of-school and Almajiri children”.
“By empowering our youth to co-create education, we are not merely reforming classrooms; we are safeguarding Nigeria’s future, strengthening national unity, and unlocking the full potential of the next generation,” he said.
Why youths must upscale their skills, by Idris
Also, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged Nigerian youths to use the ongoing national reforms to upscale their skills. The minister described youths as critical pathways for personal growth and nation-building. The minister noted that the country’s future depends mainly on how its young population is educated, skilled and engaged.
“Nigeria, like the rest of Africa, happens to be a very youthful country, with half of our population under the age of 20, and three-quarters under the age of 35,” he said. “With the right education, skilling, and preparation for the rapidly transforming workspaces of the 21st century, Nigeria will be an unstoppable global force.”
Idris explained that the reforms introduced under President Tinubu’s administration were deliberate and necessary to reset Nigeria’s economic and governance systems. The minister stated that nation-building cannot happen without reform.
“There is no nation-building without reforms,” the minister said. “Reforms protect us from the trap of doing the same thing repeatedly while expecting different results.”
Key digital literacy initiatives
The Federal Ministry of Education explained the President Bola Tinubu administration is actively working to address the significant digital skills gap in partnership with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and private partners aiming to train over 20 million youth in digital skills under major initiatives, such as Digital Skills Nigeria (DSN), the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MT) programme, and the Nigeria Learning Passport. The programmes target critical areas like AI, data science, and web development to boost employability and economic growth.
The DSN is a Microsoft-led initiative focusing on youth aged 16-35, providing training in AI, cloud computing, and digital literacy. The 3MTT is a government programme designed to build a skilled workforce. UNICEF Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) are deploying the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP), a digital learning platform, to improve learning outcomes for 80% of learners in school, at home, and in non-formal structures.
This initiative is part of Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), a public-private-youth partnership platform pioneering a nationwide initiative to connect every school to the internet and over 20 million Nigerian youth to skills, opportunity, and choice. Through the concerted efforts of five partners – Airtel, ATC Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Education, IHS, & UNICEF.
The GenU 9JA programme has achieved significant results, reaching over 2.7 million young people with connectivity, digital access, and learning opportunities. The Nigeria Learning Passport has seen remarkable growth, with registrations increasing from 117,585 in 2022 to over 750,000 registered users in 2023.
At the state level, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and others offer basic digital literacy and advanced certifications on cyber security and data analysis. Other programmes include vocational technical skills focusing on industrial production and market-relevant skills.
The general goal is to transform the workforce, as nearly half of all jobs are expected to require digital skills by 2030, with a potential $11 billion annual loss if the skills gap is not bridged.
Alausa asserted that the government is driving a nationwide shift toward digital literacy and skill-based education for youth, aiming to transition from theoretical learning to a 21st-century digital economy.
According to him, key initiatives include integrating technology into schools, establishing, 38 technical colleges, and providing free, specialised training in partnership with Amazon.
The minister said the ministry is overhauling the education system to emphasise critical thinking, creativity, and technical skills.
According to him, the “Digital Schools” initiative, launched in Lagos is one of key digitalisation initiatives and involves replacing, traditional, chalkboards with, interactive, smartboards and, distributing, tablets to, schools.
Another is industry-ready training through partnerships with organisations like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Coursera and Pluralsight, through which the government is providing free training in high-demand fields like cloud computing, data analytics and coding.
Also is Skill-to-Jobs Focus to bridge skills gaps and increasing employability through the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
The National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are on standby to implement computer-based tests (CBT) with full digitisation targeted by 2027.
The minister contended that thousands of instructors have already been trained and retrained for the digital initiatives.
Stakeholders’ stance
Soweto contended that to correct the digital deficit requires deliberate effort by the Federal Government and governments at all level to reverse this ugly reality that public education is enmeshed in.
“As a first step, government must begin to adequately fund public education and direct effort towards meeting the infrastructural deficit that years of neglect has caused. Also, it takes a developed education system to equip students with digital skills. For instance, learning digital skills requires not only availability of the knowledge but also the facilities and equipment to aid the learning of these skills. Therefore, what is needed is to uplift public education from its current decrepit state and overhaul the entire system,” the rights activist said.
Meanwhile, Orji asserted that the issue isn’t just about digital skills; it’s about striking a balance.
“Digital literacy is crucial, but we shouldn’t overlook essential skills for human survival and economic contributions that don’t require digital capacity. Nigeria’s education system needs a deliberate shift in focus, prioritising skills that drive national growth. We’re chasing global educational trends without considering our unique objectives. For instance, our experience with CBT-based WAEC exams showed we’re not yet ready for such a leap, lacking infrastructure like reliable power and internet.
“China’s approach is instructive: they developed an education system tailored to their needs, focusing on country-specific solutions. Not all Chinese students have digital skills, yet they’re productive. We should build our system gradually, systematically, and sustainably.
“The government can bridge the gap by investing in digital infrastructure; training teachers, developing localised digital content, implementing policies that promote inclusivity and equity. It’s a journey, and we must start now. But, let’s be realistic about our pace and priorities.”
But to National President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Nigeria, Chief ’Yomi Otubela, the country’s education system has taken commendable steps towards integrating digital skills into teaching and learning. Subjects such as computer studies, basic ICT, and elements of digital literacy are now part of the curriculum at different levels.
“However, the reality is that the system is yet to fully and consistently equip students with the practical digital competencies required for today’s rapidly evolving job market,” Otubela told The Nation.
According to him, the challenge lies less in policy direction and more in implementation.
“Many schools, particularly in the public sector and in rural communities, face constraints such as limited access to functional computers, unstable electricity, inadequate internet connectivity, and insufficiently trained teachers to deliver hands-on digital instruction. This often results in students being exposed to digital concepts largely in theory, with limited practical application, thereby widening the gap between classroom learning and workplace expectations,” he said.
To sustainably bridge this gap, Odubela asserted that the Federal Government needs to adopt deliberate, inclusive, and well-coordinated strategies.
“First, digital skills should be recognised as essential life and employability skills rather than optional subjects. Competencies such as coding, data literacy, digital creativity, basic robotics, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence should be progressively embedded from basic education through secondary schooling.
“Second, greater investment is required in educational infrastructure, particularly in power supply, broadband connectivity, and modern learning tools. Special attention must be given to rural schools and underserved communities to ensure that no child is left behind in the digital transition.
“Third, continuous teacher training and retraining must be prioritised. Digitally skilled students can only emerge from classrooms led by digitally empowered teachers. While some well-resourced private schools have demonstrated innovation by investing in digital facilities, many private schools in rural and semi-urban areas also face significant capacity challenges. Government can therefore leverage structured public-private partnerships to support both public schools and low-capacity private schools, especially in underserved locations.
“Finally, stronger collaboration between the education sector and industry is essential to ensure that curricula reflect labour market realities and future workforce needs. When education is aligned with employability, productivity, and national growth are naturally strengthened.
“If Nigeria is truly committed to global competitiveness and youth employment, closing the education and digital skills gap must be treated as an urgent national priority, driven by inclusive policies and collective action from government, private schools, and other key stakeholders,” he said.
