The Japanese government has committed $1 million to support the digital training of at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders across Nigeria in a move aimed at strengthening technology-driven education and improving teaching standards nationwide.
The initiative, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education, is being implemented in partnership with the Government of Japan, UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA), the Pan African University (PAU), and Castalia Co. Ltd. under the Pan African Virtual and Electronic University (PAVEU) initiative.
According to the ministry, the programme commenced with a three-day Master Training Workshop designed to equip selected trainers with digital competencies that will be cascaded to at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders through mobile-based learning platforms.
“The Federal Government has commenced a three-day Master Training Workshop to strengthen teacher professional development through mobile-based learning, with the programme expected to reach at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders nationwide, while placing special emphasis on empowering female educators,” the ministry said.
Beyond the financial support, project partners donated 40 tablets and two edge computing devices to facilitate nationwide implementation of the programme. The training curriculum covers digital literacy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, gender-responsive pedagogy, mental health, learner-centred teaching, and the GOKU Mobile Learning Platform.
Representing the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, the Director of Colleges of Education, Dr. Uchenna Uba, described the initiative as a major milestone in advancing teacher quality and digital innovation through international collaboration.
The programme forms part of the Federal Government’s broader education reform agenda under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and builds on previous efforts to improve teachers’ digital capacity. Earlier initiatives included AI pedagogy training for 6,000 teachers, while the latest Japan-backed intervention is expected to expand access to continuous professional development, particularly for female educators and school leaders across the country.
