The Federal Government has announced plans to connect schools across Nigeria to reliable internet services as part of a major initiative aimed at strengthening digital learning, expanding access to modern educational tools, and harnessing technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve the nation’s education system.
The government said expanding connectivity across the education sector would equip students with digital skills needed to thrive in a technology-driven global economy, while ensuring that Nigerian children have access to quality education comparable to global standards.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.
According to the statement, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to coordinate efforts to implement the initiative.
Speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders in Abuja to strengthen collaboration between both ministries, Alausa said the initiative builds on earlier connectivity efforts through the Nigerian Research and Education Network, which previously supported broadband connectivity for tertiary institutions under a World Bank-funded project.
He explained that while the earlier programme recorded progress in connecting universities and other tertiary institutions, momentum slowed after the initial funding cycle ended, making it necessary to adopt a renewed and expanded strategy.
Alausa said the current plan seeks to revive and strengthen the programme while extending internet connectivity across all levels of the education sector.
He noted that connectivity goes beyond fibre broadband and includes telecommunications towers, satellite systems, and other digital infrastructure required to provide reliable internet access nationwide.
The minister said the Federal Government is implementing major connectivity projects, including the deployment of about 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic broadband infrastructure, the installation of approximately 3,700 telecommunications towers, particularly in rural and underserved communities, and the expansion of satellite capacity to improve nationwide coverage.
He explained that the aim is to ensure that, as broadband cables are deployed and towers are installed across the country, schools at every level are deliberately connected to the network.
According to him, the meeting produced several key steps to accelerate connectivity within the education sector, including the expansion of the governing council of the Nigerian Research and Education Network to include representatives responsible for foundational and secondary education.
He also disclosed that two technical working groups have been established to drive implementation, with one focusing on connectivity for tertiary institutions and the other concentrating on foundational and secondary schools.
The teams are expected to coordinate planning, develop implementation strategies, and ensure that schools benefit from the ongoing national connectivity projects.
Alausa expressed optimism that the first phase of the initiative would begin to show visible improvements within the next three months.
He said improved connectivity would enable students and teachers to access digital learning platforms, global knowledge resources, and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence tools that are increasingly shaping modern education systems.
He added that the initiative would also support ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening examination integrity through the gradual transition to Computer-Based Testing for major national examinations.
According to him, the digital learning centres would also serve as CBT centres for national assessments.
“We plan that within the next two to three years, major examination bodies such as the West African Examinations Council and the National Examination Council will transition fully to Computer-Based Testing, similar to what is currently being implemented by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,” he said.
Also speaking, Tijani stressed that technology-driven education cannot thrive without reliable internet connectivity.
He noted that although Nigeria hosts about eight international submarine internet cables, the highest number in Africa, the major challenge lies in distributing that capacity inland through extensive fibre networks capable of reaching communities nationwide.
He explained that most of the internet capacity enters Nigeria through submarine cables landing in Lagos, but without adequate inland fibre infrastructure, the capacity cannot effectively reach schools and communities across the country.
Tijani said the ongoing 90,000-kilometre national fibre expansion project was designed to address the challenge and ensure broadband connectivity reaches all local government areas.
He added that the deployment of 3,700 rural telecommunications towers would further extend connectivity to underserved communities, with many of the towers expected to be located close to schools to ensure educational institutions benefit directly from the infrastructure.
Both ministers reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustained collaboration between the education and communications sectors to ensure that investments in digital infrastructure translate into improved learning outcomes across the country.
