The Federal Government has launched an initiative to empower 8,000 teachers nationwide with zero-rated data access and subsidised devices to enhance professional development and classroom delivery.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this during a Ministerial Roundtable in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the teachers drawn from the six geopolitical zones, had been selected to benefit from the pilot phase.
The roundtable brought together key government officials, private sector partners, and development stakeholders to unveil the initiative’s pilot phase, which will run from December 2025 to July 2026.
Implemented with technical support from the UK-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, the initiative is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing digital learning through an Education Public-Private Partnership (ePPP).
Alausa also inaugurated a Coordination and Implementation Committee (CIC) to oversee the programme and ensure effective cross-sector collaboration.
The committee includes representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
It also has members from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
Other agencies represented are the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and PLANE.
According to Alausa, participating teachers will have free access to the Federal Government’s eLearn platform and other approved digital resources, powered by zero-rated data provided through partner telecom and Internet Exchange providers.
“We know this; it’s unfortunate that teachers are not being paid enough, and we’re not fooling ourselves,” he said.
“Giving these teachers devices and expecting them to pay for data is foolhardy.
“It’s dead on arrival, and that’s why we’re here today to create a path for them to access whatever they need without paying anything”.
Registrar of TRCN, Dr Ronke Soyombo, commended the initiative, saying it was “a significant stride toward making digital learning more accessible to all”.
She said the intervention would enhance teachers’ capacity to integrate technology into classroom instruction, bridge the digital divide, foster continuous professional development, and ultimately improve the quality of education nationwide.
“The provision of zero-rated subsidised data bundles is not merely a technical solution; it is a strategic intervention that can accelerate digital inclusion, enhance teacher capacity, and ultimately improve learning outcomes nationwide,” Soyombo said.
“TRCN is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure that every teacher in Nigeria is digitally empowered and professionally equipped to thrive in a technology-driven education landscape,” she added.
- NAN
