Oyo Adopts Nigeria Learning Passport for Digital Education

Oyo State has adopted the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) as part of efforts to expand access to digital learning for children and teachers across the state.

The platform was launched in Ibadan on Wednesday, September 16, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and private-sector partners. Oyo is now the 26th Nigerian state to adopt the digital learning platform, according to UNICEF officials at the launch.

The development gives learners and teachers access to curriculum-aligned educational materials through mobile devices, including content that can be used online and offline.

What is the Nigeria Learning Passport?

The Nigeria Learning Passport is a digital education platform designed to provide continuous access to learning resources.

The Federal Ministry of Education describes it as a solution aimed at helping close Nigeria’s learning poverty gap by providing access to quality education both online and offline. The ministry lists the platform among its official e-learning resources.

The platform includes learning resources for subjects such as Mathematics, English and Science. UNICEF said learners and teachers can access the content through phones and tablets, including in locations where internet access is limited.

This offline capability is particularly relevant in communities where reliable internet connectivity remains a challenge.

About 2.4 million children and teachers already using the platform

UNICEF said approximately 2.4 million children and teachers across Nigeria were using the Nigeria Learning Passport at the time of the Oyo launch.

A separate UNICEF announcement on September 10 said the programme had reached more than 2.3 million children and youth through its partnership with TECNO, highlighting continued expansion of the platform.

The slightly different figures reflect different reporting dates and programme measurements. The latest Oyo launch figures put the national user base at about 2.4 million.

Oyo’s adoption therefore adds another state to an expanding national digital-learning network.

Oyo has also recruited 5,000 teachers

The launch comes after the Oyo State Government recruited 5,000 teachers, a development UNICEF identified as an opportunity to integrate the digital platform more effectively into classroom teaching.

UNICEF Lagos Chief of Field Office Celine Lafoucriere said newly recruited teachers would need continued professional development to use the platform effectively.

That makes teacher training an important part of the initiative. Providing digital content does not automatically mean that teachers will incorporate it effectively into lessons.

The platform is intended to supplement classroom instruction rather than replace teachers.

UNICEF highlights rural communities and girls

UNICEF has also urged Oyo authorities to pay particular attention to children in rural and underserved communities, including girls who face barriers to education.

The concern is significant because digital education can expand access while also creating another form of exclusion if learners do not have electricity, suitable devices, network coverage or the skills needed to use digital resources.

UNICEF therefore called for deliberate efforts to reach children in communities with limited infrastructure rather than measuring the programme’s reach solely through registration numbers.

The platform was created during the COVID-19 disruption

The Nigeria Learning Passport emerged from the need to maintain access to education during the COVID-19 pandemic, when school closures disrupted conventional classroom learning.

UNICEF said the platform allowed children to continue learning through digital devices and other channels, including in areas with limited or no internet connectivity. It has since developed from an emergency learning tool into a broader digital education platform.

The programme now combines digital learning content with teacher support and other education-system initiatives.

UNICEF’s September 2026 announcement said the platform uses both online and offline approaches and provides multilingual courses covering primary education and skills development, as well as professional development support for teachers.

Technology partners support the programme

The Nigeria Learning Passport is not being developed by the Oyo State Government alone.

UNICEF said the wider programme involves the Federal Government and development and private-sector partners. Microsoft developed the technology platform, while the Global Partnership for Education provides financial support. IHS Towers contributes connectivity infrastructure, TECNO provides devices and Airtel supports data access.

UNICEF is responsible for areas including curriculum alignment, translation into local languages and teacher training.

This partnership structure is intended to address some of the practical barriers that can limit digital learning programmes.

Airtel is covering data costs

One of the measures supporting access is data provision.

UNICEF said Airtel is covering data costs for users of the platform, allowing families to access the learning content without paying for the data required to use it.

This could reduce one of the financial barriers associated with digital learning, particularly for households where regular mobile data purchases compete with other essential expenses.

It does not, however, remove other barriers such as access to smartphones or tablets, electricity and network coverage.

The bigger challenge is whether children actually use it

UNICEF has stressed that the impact of the Nigeria Learning Passport should not be measured only by the number of people registered on the platform.

Lafoucriere called for monitoring of actual platform usage and learning outcomes, including whether children are using the resources regularly and whether their learning improves. She also highlighted the need to identify problems involving connectivity, devices and data access.

That distinction will matter as Oyo begins implementation.

A digital platform can provide thousands of lessons, but its educational value depends on whether students can access the content and whether teachers can integrate it into effective instruction.

What happens next in Oyo?

The immediate focus will be on integrating the Nigeria Learning Passport into teaching and learning across the state.

The Oyo government and UNICEF will also need to address access in rural communities, continue teacher training and monitor how learners use the platform.

For Oyo, the launch represents an expansion of the state’s digital education infrastructure. The longer-term result will depend on how effectively the platform moves beyond the launch event and reaches children and teachers who face the greatest barriers to conventional and digital education.

The Nigeria Learning Passport is now available as another education resource in Oyo, but its real test will be whether children across the state can use it consistently and whether that access translates into measurable improvements in learning.