BusinessDay
Olubunmi Oladejo and Idris Umar Momoh, Osogbo
June 3, 2026
The Osun state government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have identified digital learning and artificial intelligence (AI) as critical tools for tackling the growing challenge of out-of-school children and improving learning outcomes across Nigeria.
They spoke at a two-day Media Dialogue on Digital Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Skill Development for Out-of-School Children organised by the Osun State Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNICEF in Ede, Osun state.
Speaking at the event, Adedipo Eluwole, the commissioner for Education, represented by Muritala Jimoh, the permanent secretary in the ministry, described the out-of-school children challenge as one of the most pressing educational issues facing Nigeria.
He noted that millions of children remain excluded from formal education due to socio-economic, geographical and security-related challenges, stressing that technology offers new opportunities to bridge the gap.
Read also: Health crisis looms in Osun State as 73% of PHCs operate without adequate staff
According to him, digital learning platforms are transforming education by making learning more accessible, flexible, inclusive and engaging.
Jimoh said artificial intelligence, when responsibly deployed, can personalise learning experiences, identify learning gaps, support teachers, improve educational planning and provide innovative solutions for reaching children outside the formal education system.
“As we continue to embrace technological advancement, it is imperative that we ensure that no child is left behind in the digital revolution,” he said.
He also highlighted the role of the media in shaping public perception, raising awareness, influencing policy discussions and mobilising community support for educational development through sustained advocacy and accurate reporting.
Also speaking, Celine Lafoucriere, chief of UNICEF Lagos field office, painted a worrying picture of learning poverty in Nigeria, revealing that only one in four children who attend school can read properly and perform basic mathematics by the age of 14.
She noted that the challenge extends beyond the millions of children who are already out of school.
“Of all the children in Nigeria who actually go to school, only one in four can read properly and do basic maths at age 14. And we are only talking about the children who make it to school,” she said.
According to her, more than 10 million children never get to school at all, leaving them without the skills needed to secure jobs, support their families and participate effectively in the economy.
Lafoucriere warned that as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the future of work and business, children without digital skills risk being left further behind.
“The children who know how to use this technology will have a chance. The ones who don’t will be left out. Right now, out-of-school children in Nigeria are the ones being left out, and unfortunately girls are often the furthest behind,” she said.
She urged journalists to continue highlighting education challenges and solutions, noting that sustained media attention can drive policy action and greater stakeholder commitment.
Read also: IHS Nigeria, Osun State partner to transform technical education
UNICEF Education Specialist, Harold Kpojime, said Nigeria continues to have one of the largest populations of out-of-school children globally, with one in every three primary school-age children currently out of school.
He stressed the importance of reliable data in addressing the crisis and noted that school attendance and completion rates decline progressively as children move through the education system.
Kpojime also identified Lagos State as a leading performer in education indicators, recording 92.9 per cent primary school attendance, 98 per cent primary school completion and 85 per cent senior secondary school completion.
The dialogue forms part of UNICEF’s broader out-of-school children and digital learning interventions implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Ministries of Education, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs), Global Partnership for Education (GPE), IHS Towers and other stakeholders.
Participants at the event agreed that while digital learning and AI are not complete solutions to the education crisis, they offer powerful tools for expanding access to learning opportunities, equipping young people with future-ready skills and reducing the number of children excluded from education.
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Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.
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