Technology is reshaping education systems worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception. Digital learning offers a powerful opportunity to expand access to quality education, strengthen teacher skills, and prepare learners for a technology-driven economy. The key question is whether government policy can enable this potential to materialise, or will it remain merely aspirational?

 

Over the past decade, the Nigerian government has launched several initiatives to promote digital learning, from recognising ICT in the National Policy on Education to establishing the National Digital Learning and Inclusion Task Force and the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme. These efforts show progress toward digital readiness. However, implementation has been uneven. Weak infrastructure, limited teacher training, and poor coordination have slowed transformation. In contrast, Japan’s systematic planning and consistent investment show how digital learning can drive measurable educational gains.

 

This article reviews Nigeria’s policy framework for digital learning, outlining its strengths, challenges, and barriers to progress. It also draws practical lessons from Japan to show how Nigeria can turn policy goals into lasting impact.

 

Government Initiatives & Chronological Structure

Nigeria has undertaken several initiatives to advance digital learning. In 2019, the National Policy on Education (NPE) incorporated provisions for teacher training, curriculum guidelines, and monitoring mechanisms to support the sustainable implementation of EdTech nationwide. Building on this foundation, the Federal Government established the National Digital Learning and Inclusion Task Force in June 2024 to develop comprehensive policy roadmaps, AI-driven adaptive learning tools, teacher training modules, and partnerships to ensure affordable connectivity and devices.

 

At the state level, Edo State launched the EdoBEST 2.0 pilot in 2018, in collaboration with UNICEF, providing tablets, projectors, digital boards, and software to 40 secondary schools, which later expanded to 150 schools.

 

How These Policies Support Digital Learning

These policies aim to expand access to digital tools, improve teacher capacity through training, and integrate technology into classroom instruction. They also promote collaboration between the government, the private sector, and educational institutions to create an enabling environment for digital learning to thrive.

 

1. Institutional Infrastructure & Strategic Agencies

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) serves as the primary implementation body, driving capacity-building, infrastructure development, and training initiatives across states. Complementing these efforts, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) supports critical telecommunications expansion to address Nigeria’s persistent digital divide.

 

2.  Platform-Based Access & Inclusivity

These initiatives incorporate Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities and prioritise offline accessibility, curriculum-aligned content, zero-rated data, and gender-focused inclusion strategies such as the Girls Employability & Skills Partnership. These features ensure equitable access for girls, rural students, and disadvantaged populations.

 

Government policies emphasise teacher training in information and communication technology (ICT), typically delivered online in collaboration with non-governmental organisations. The task force and Ministry of Education (MoE) have developed professional development manuals and guides to support ICT integration in teaching practice.

 

3. Skills Pipeline for Future Workforce

The Digital State programmes aim to develop a digitally literate workforce aligned with the demands of the future economy. The strategic alignment of these policies with national digital economy objectives represents a key strength.

 

Policy Challenges and Barriers Hindering Progress

Despite strong intent, several obstacles persist:

 

• Infrastructure & Connectivity Gaps:

Unstable electricity, poor internet, and high data costs continue to constrain access to digital education, particularly in rural areas. The cost of data alone can be prohibitive for students and teachers.

 

•  Limited Device Availability & Sustainability:

Most schools rely on shared tablets or projectors rather than one-to-one device models. Teachers frequently use personal data plans and devices to facilitate e-learning, an approach that is neither scalable nor sustainable.

 

• Funding Gaps and Accountability Concerns:

Although the federal government allocated ₦10 billion for digital education in early 2025, concerns persist about funding priorities given the deteriorating state of basic school infrastructure. Additionally, weak oversight mechanisms create risks of fund misappropriation and limit impact assessment.

 

• Policy Implementation Weaknesses:

Policy frameworks often remain at the conceptual stage without concrete operationalisation. Several first-year activities outlined in the 2019 ICT policy remain unimplemented. Furthermore, monitoring and evaluation systems remain inadequate across the sector.

 

• Balancing Digital Learning at the Expense of Traditional Learning:

Commentators have noted that Nigeria’s emphasis on e-learning tools may undervalue the importance of textbooks and offline learning methods. Evidence from Sweden and the United States indicates that excessive screen time can negatively impact deep learning and memory retention, suggesting that a balanced pedagogical approach is preferable.

 

Learning from Global Best Practices

The Case of Japan provides valuable lessons on the effective integration of educational technology and the role of policy in supporting sustainable educational transformation.

 

• Curriculum Reform & Pedagogical Shifts:

Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) revises the national curriculum approximately every decade. The 2017 revision emphasised active, collaborative, and personalised learning while moving away from traditional rote-based, teacher-centred instructional methods. Importantly, technology is positioned as a pedagogical tool rather than a novelty.

 

• Systematic One-to-One Device Rollout:

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Japan’s one-device-per-student initiative. This rollout was supported by comprehensive teacher training, online professional development, and an ICT support infrastructure that allocated one ICT specialist for every four schools to assist teachers with daily technology use. Pilot programs in Shibuya ward provided tablets with 4G connectivity before national scaling. During school closures, online learning platforms with assignment submission workflows were rapidly deployed.

 

• Teacher Professional Development and Peer Review:

Japan invests heavily in teacher capacity: not only face-to-face training, but also online modules, sharing of open lessons, peer reviews via “lesson study,” and curricular guidance in digital teaching scenarios.

• Research-Informed, Phased Implementation:

Japan’s evolution from the 100-Schools Project (1994–97) through the GIGA initiative (2019 onward) demonstrates long-term phased rollout informed by data, research, and gradual scaling of infrastructure, capacity, and pedagogy.

 

Comparative Insights: Nigeria vs Japan

• Policy Integration and Curriculum Depth: Japan embeds digital learning within curriculum reform that prioritises active, personalised learning. Nigeria’s policies acknowledge ICT, but often lack strong pedagogical integration or guidelines for teachers to blend digital with traditional

 

• Device Access & Infrastructure:

Japan ensures one-to-one device access, broadband connectivity, and ICT support staff per cluster of schools. Nigeria still mainly operates on shared devices and limited tech support in classrooms.

 

• Teacher Support Systems:

Japan provides structured, continuous training complemented by peer review and technical support systems. In contrast, Nigeria’s teacher training tends to be episodic and donor-dependent, often ending when initial program funding concludes. Teachers frequently resort to using personal data plans and devices to support e-learning activities.

 

Recommendations for Nigerian Policy Based on Japan’s Approach

 Drawing from the experience of Japan, Nigeria could consider the following:

 

• Incorporate technology into pedagogy by revising curriculum frameworks to integrate digital tools explicitly into active learning practices.

 

• One-to-one device access (or at least scaled progress to that with reliable access to data/internet), particularly in secondary schools, as a first step.

 

• Establish ICT support staff at the local, or even school-cluster, level to help teachers with technical problems and lesson delivery.

 

• To disseminate digital teaching strategies, scale up ongoing teacher professional development, such as online modules, peer-lesson review, and lesson-study circles.

 

• Enhance monitoring and evaluation, and transparently track policy targets (device access, platform use, learning outcomes) with public reporting.

 

• Maintain a balanced instructional model that integrates textbooks and offline methods with digital tools, particularly in early grades, to prevent over-dependence on screen-based learning.

 

• Align funding priorities to ensure that investments in digital learning do not compromise essential needs such as infrastructure rehabilitation, electricity access, classroom construction, and provision of printed learning materials.

 

Conclusion

Nigeria has established a promising policy framework for digital learning, encompassing the National Policy on Education (NPE), ICT policies, and national programs such as the National Literacy Programme (NLP), 3MTT, and Digital States initiative. These initiatives demonstrate a growing commitment to scaling equitable access, preparing learners for future workforce demands, and leveraging educational technology for inclusion. However, significant implementation challenges remain, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient device availability, limited teacher support, delayed policy execution, and potential overemphasis on digital tools at the expense of traditional learning methods.

 

Japan’s experience demonstrates that successful digital learning integration requires curriculum-driven pedagogy, systematic device access, sustained teacher professional development, and phased implementation informed by rigorous data and feedback mechanisms. By incorporating these lessons into policy execution, Nigeria can accelerate its digital learning progress while ensuring that technology complements rather than replaces fundamental learning processes. This approach will ensure that every student, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status, has equitable access to meaningful digital education.

 

Author’s Note

At Phillips Consulting Limited (pcl.), we bridge the gap between digital learning policy and practical implementation across Nigeria and Africa. Our Digital Learning Advisory Services address the critical challenges outlined in this article, including teacher capacity-building and ICT integration strategy, policy operationalisation, and impact monitoring.

 

We partner with educational institutions, government agencies, and organisations to design context-appropriate solutions that ensure technology complements rather than replaces effective pedagogy. Our approach combines scalable infrastructure frameworks, sustained professional development programs, and robust evaluation systems to transform digital education investments into measurable learning outcomes. With deep expertise in Nigeria’s educational landscape and global best practices, pcl. helps stakeholders maximise the transformative potential of digital learning while maintaining a balanced, evidence-based approach to implementation.

 

Contact us at digitallearning@phillipsconsulting.net for enquiries.

 

Written By

Saheed Fatai