Nigeria’s digital ambitions will not be decided only in technology hubs or government offices.
The real turning point, according to technology leaders, will happen inside classrooms where the next generation learns how to think, create and navigate the digital world.
That was the central message from the National Information Technology Development Agency during a national dialogue on the future of education and technology.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Development of Educational Action Network Initiative in Abuja, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa said teachers will determine whether Nigeria’s digital transformation succeeds or stalls.
Represented by the agency’s Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Dr Aristotle Onumo, Inuwa explained that the country’s expanding digital economy is already reshaping how knowledge is accessed, shared and applied.
Consequently, he said, the role of teachers must evolve beyond the traditional classroom model.
“Teachers are no longer just instructors. They are guides who help students identify credible information, avoid harmful online content and develop responsible digital behaviour,” he said.
Across the world, digital technology is transforming industries at a pace few education systems were originally designed for.
Students now learn in an environment flooded with information, platforms and digital tools. While that access creates opportunity, it also demands stronger critical thinking and digital responsibility.
For Nigeria, the stakes are particularly high. The country is pursuing a national goal of achieving 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 as part of a broader push to build a knowledge driven economy powered by innovation and technology.
However, that ambition depends heavily on the people who shape learning environments.
According to Inuwa, empowering teachers with digital skills is one of the most practical ways to prepare Nigerian students for the future workforce.
Teachers who understand technology can guide students beyond passive consumption of online content. Instead, they can help them develop the ability to analyse information, solve problems and use digital tools productively.
This shift is already influencing policy direction. NITDA has been working with education institutions and government agencies to expand digital literacy initiatives and strengthen teachers’ digital capacity through structured programmes and partnerships.
The engagement in Abuja also highlighted the broader policy conversations taking place around education reform.
Semiyé Michael, Executive Director of DEAN Initiative, said the dialogue was organised to rethink teacher capacity within the realities of a rapidly expanding digital economy.
“We need to strengthen teachers’ competence and provide them with access to the necessary digital infrastructure,” he said.
According to him, insights from the workshop will contribute to a policy guide intended to support technology driven learning across Nigerian schools.
Importantly, the conversation brought together stakeholders from across the ecosystem, including representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited and private sector technology experts.
Their participation reflects a growing consensus that digital transformation in education cannot be driven by government alone. It requires coordination among policymakers, educators, infrastructure providers and innovators.
For NITDA, the message remains straightforward. Technology may power the digital economy, but teachers will shape the people who build it.
And in Nigeria’s classrooms today, the foundations of that future are already being laid.
