Japan commits $1 million to train 2,000 Nigerian teachers in digital skills

Japan has committed $1 million to support the digital training of at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders across Nigeria, the Federal Government has said.

The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade.

According to the ministry, the funding will support a mobile-based teacher development programme aimed at strengthening teachers’ digital skills, expanding access to continuous professional development and empowering female school leaders through technology-enabled learning.

What they are saying

The Ministry of Education said the initiative began with a three-day Master Training Workshop organised 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.

It added that Japan is investing approximately $1 million in the programme, while project partners have donated 40 tablets and two edge computing devices to support nationwide implementation.

• “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 statement read in part.
• It added, “Japan is investing approximately US$1 million in the initiative, while partners presented 40 tablets and two edge computing devices to support nationwide implementation.”

The workshop will equip selected master trainers with digital skills to train at least 2,000 teachers and school leaders nationwide using mobile-based learning platforms.

More insights

Participants are receiving training in digital literacy, Artificial Intelligence in Education, gender-responsive pedagogy, mental health, learner-centred teaching and the GOKU Mobile Learning Platform. The programme is designed to improve access to continuous professional development for teachers and school leaders regardless of location.

• The initiative places special emphasis on empowering female educators and school leaders through technology-enabled learning.
• Selected master trainers will lead the nationwide rollout of mobile-based professional development programmes for teachers.
• The programme supports the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and aims to strengthen 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 initiative as a major milestone in advancing teacher quality, digital innovation and improved learning outcomes through strategic international partnerships.

Get up to speed

The latest initiative builds on the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen teacher capacity through digital learning and technology-driven education reforms. Over the past two years, the ministry has introduced several programmes aimed at improving teachers’ professional and digital skills.

In February 2025, the Federal Government launched a five-week Artificial Intelligence (AI) pedagogy training programme for 6,000 senior secondary school teachers to support the integration of AI into classroom instruction.

Later, in July 2025, the ministry introduced the Technical Teachers Training Programme (TTTP), a tuition-free one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education designed to upskill public secondary school teachers handling technical and vocational subjects.

The TTTP is being implemented in partnership with six Nigerian universities as part of efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education nationwide.

The latest Japan-backed initiative expands those efforts by focusing on mobile-based professional development and digital skills for teachers and school leaders across the country.

What you should know

The latest partnership adds to a growing number of public-private initiatives aimed at expanding digital skills across Nigeria. The Federal Government has increasingly collaborated with global technology companies and development partners to improve digital literacy and prepare Nigerians for a technology-driven economy.

In February 2025, Microsoft announced a $1 million investment to equip one million Nigerians with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital skills.

By December 2025, Microsoft disclosed that more than four million Nigerians had received digital skills training through its programmes since 2021.

In May 2026, the Federal Government partnered with Coursera to launch the Digital Training Academy (DTA), targeting 36,000 Nigerian youths with globally recognised digital certifications.