Japan has committed $1 million to support the digital training of at least 2,000 Nigerian teachers and school leaders, as part of a new partnership aimed at strengthening technology-driven education and improving classroom instruction across the country.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the initiative in a statement issued by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, describing the programme as a major investment in teacher capacity development through digital learning.
The project will provide teachers with access to continuous professional development using mobile technology while placing particular emphasis on equipping female educators and school leaders with digital leadership skills.
Three-Day Training Workshop Launches Programme
The initiative officially began with a three-day Master Training Workshop organised through a collaboration involving the Government of Japan, UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA), the Pan African University (PAU), Castalia Co. Ltd., and the Pan African Virtual and Electronic University (PAVEU).
According to the ministry, Japan’s approximately $1 million investment will be complemented by donations from project partners, including 40 tablet computers and two edge computing devices to support implementation across Nigeria.
Selected master trainers participating in the workshop will later train at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders nationwide using mobile learning platforms.
Teachers to Receive AI and Digital Skills Training
Participants in the programme will receive instruction in several areas designed to strengthen teaching quality and classroom effectiveness.
The curriculum includes:
- Digital literacy
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education
- Gender-responsive teaching methods
- Mental health awareness
- Learner-centred instructional techniques
- Training on the GOKU Mobile Learning Platform
The programme aims to make professional development more accessible by allowing teachers and school administrators to continue learning regardless of their geographical location.
Female Educators Receive Special Focus
A key objective of the initiative is to expand opportunities for female teachers and school leaders by providing technology-enabled professional development.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the selected master trainers will lead the nationwide rollout of mobile-based teacher development programmes as part of broader efforts to improve teacher quality through digital innovation.
Representing the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, the Director of Colleges of Education, Dr. Uchenna Uba, described the programme as an important milestone in strengthening teacher development through international collaboration and digital innovation.
Part of Nigeria’s Education Reform Agenda
The initiative aligns with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which seeks to improve education outcomes by enhancing teacher quality and expanding access to modern teaching tools.
The latest programme builds on several recent government efforts to modernise teacher training.
Earlier initiatives include:
- A five-week AI pedagogy programme launched in 2025 to train 6,000 senior secondary school teachers on integrating artificial intelligence into classroom teaching.
- The Technical Teachers Training Programme (TTTP) introduced later in 2025, offering a tuition-free one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education for public secondary school teachers handling technical and vocational subjects through partnerships with six Nigerian universities.
Expanding Nigeria’s Digital Skills Ecosystem
The Japan-backed programme also reflects Nigeria’s wider push to improve digital literacy through partnerships with international governments and technology organisations.
In recent years, the Federal Government has collaborated with several global partners to expand digital education opportunities for teachers, students and young professionals.
These efforts include Microsoft’s investment in AI and digital skills training for Nigerians, as well as the launch of the Digital Training Academy (DTA) in partnership with Coursera, aimed at providing globally recognised digital certifications for thousands of Nigerian youths.
The latest investment from Japan further strengthens these ongoing efforts by expanding access to digital learning resources and professional development for educators across the country.
