The Federal Ministry of Education says it will officially unveil the Digital National Education Management Information System (DNEMIS) on July 1 as part of efforts to strengthen education planning, governance and service delivery through reliable data.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit (SPOIU), Office of the Minister of Education, Mr Adebayo Onigbanjo, said the initiative is a key component of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) being implemented under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
According to Onigbanjo, the ministry has prioritised education data as a strategic asset to improve governance, accountability and evidence-based decision-making across the sector.
“For many years, education planning and administration relied on fragmented systems, inconsistent reporting processes and limited access to reliable and timely data.
“These challenges constrained effective planning, weakened accountability and limited the sector’s ability to respond to emerging realities,” he said.
He explained that the ministry developed the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) to coordinate, standardise and strengthen education data management across all levels of education.
Onigbanjo said DNEMIS, a flagship component of NEDI, is designed to provide timely and accessible information to support planning, policymaking, budgeting, monitoring and service delivery.
He added that the platform would ensure that learners, schools, teachers and education investments are captured within a unified system that supports informed decision-making.
“The progress recorded through NEDI and the implementation of DNEMIS reflects the ministry’s broader commitment to ensuring that reforms are not only announced but effectively coordinated, implemented and measured.
“Data is no longer a back-office function. It is becoming the engine of education reform in Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Digital Communications and E-Learning, Ms Mojoyin Adebajo, described DNEMIS as a major milestone in Nigeria’s digital education transformation.
She said the platform would digitise the Annual School Census process and provide government with timely information to support planning, budgeting, policymaking and improved service delivery.
According to Adebajo, the portal will, for the first time, make selected official education data publicly accessible through an interactive platform, enabling researchers, development partners, civil society organisations, journalists, private sector operators and the general public to access and engage with education information.
“This represents an important step towards expanding access to information and encouraging broader participation in conversations that shape the future of education in Nigeria,” she said.
She added that the ministry remains committed to leveraging technology and innovation to strengthen education governance and improve learning outcomes nationwide.
The NEDI Coordinator, Abubakar Isah, said adequate measures had been put in place to ensure compliance with Nigeria’s data protection laws and safeguard education data.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Education Specialist for Planning, Monitoring, Data and Research, Saka Ibraheem, said efforts were underway to integrate all education management platforms into a single system.
“Before next year, we hope to have the Education Management Information System (EMIS), Teacher Management Information System (TMIS) and individual learner records in one system.
“One system for education and one system for Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the integrated platform would feature a unique identifier to track school enrolment and out-of-school children across the country, helping to reduce dropout rates and improve learner tracking throughout the education system.
