Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining a foothold in Nigerian classrooms as Airtel Africa, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the federal government expand access to digital learning, connecting nearly 2,000 schools and reaching about one million students across the country.
During visits to Government Senior College, Agege, and St George’s U.N.A. Primary School in Lagos, a joint delegation from Airtel Africa and UNICEF observed students and teachers using digital learning tools, including AI, to support classroom activities.
The visits, which also included youth programmes at Yaba College of Technology, highlighted efforts to extend digital education beyond traditional classroom learning to employability, entrepreneurship and access to livelihood opportunities.
The partnership has connected nearly 2,000 schools, reached about one million students and more than 20,000 teachers, while over 19,000 teachers have received digital literacy training.
The expansion comes as Nigeria seeks to improve education access and equip young people with digital skills, although reliable connectivity, teacher capacity, access to quality content and sustainable funding remain priorities for the programme.
Garreth Spillane, chief of staff to the chairman of Airtel Africa, who led the company’s delegation, said connectivity creates opportunities when it enables students to access quality digital learning and helps teachers use digital tools effectively.
“Working with UNICEF and governments, we will continue to connect schools, remove data-cost barriers through zero-rated learning platforms and support teachers across the continent,” Spillane said.
A central component of the initiative is the zero-rating of selected education platforms, allowing users to access them without incurring mobile data charges. These include the Nigeria Learning Passport, the Federal Ministry of Education’s Inspire and Ignite platforms, the Digital National Education Management Information System and the Youth Agency Marketplace, also known as YOMA.
The Nigeria Learning Passport alone has more than 2.5 million registered students and nearly 100,000 registered teachers, according to the partners.
The zero-rating arrangement is designed to reduce the cost of accessing digital education, particularly for learners and schools that face financial barriers to internet use. However, free access to selected platforms does not by itself resolve challenges involving devices, electricity, network reliability and the ability of teachers to integrate digital tools into lessons.
Rownak Khan, UNICEF deputy representative in Nigeria, said access to free digital learning could help bridge the digital divide while connecting children and young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to shape their futures.
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She said the partnership was supporting teachers and creating pathways from learning to earning, adding that girls, children with disabilities and learners in underserved communities must be among the first to benefit.
In Abuja, the delegation met officials from the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Education to discuss priorities for improving digital learning outcomes. These included reliable connectivity, quality educational content, teacher training, inclusive design, stronger data systems, child online safety and sustainable financing.
Suwaiba Sa’idu Ahmad, minister of State for Education, said transforming education required partnerships aligned with government priorities and learners’ needs.
She emphasised the need to strengthen teachers’ capacity, expand access to quality digital content, protect children online and ensure that digital learning reaches children regardless of where they live.
The emphasis on teacher training and child protection is particularly important as schools introduce more digital tools, including AI. Effective use of such technologies requires teachers to understand how they work, assess the accuracy of their outputs and ensure that their use supports learning objectives and protects pupils.
The Nigerian programme forms part of a five-year Airtel Africa–UNICEF partnership operating across 13 African countries. The initiative has connected more than 3,000 schools, zero-rated over 60 learning platforms and reached more than 2.5 million children across the continent.
While the programme is expanding access to digital learning, its longer-term impact will depend on whether connectivity and digital tools translate into measurable improvements in teaching, learning outcomes and employment opportunities for young people.
Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.
