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Samsung Supports Education Transformation with ICT Solutions
As one of the continent’s economic powerhouses, Nigeria has in many ways set new standards of progress across Africa. But, it’s become clear that in order to maintain this momentum, the country needs new answers to existing education challenges.
Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, recently announced that currently 1.5 million school-age children in the country are not attending school.
And as a result of the large volumes of children not in schools, Nigeria’s literate population currently sits at about 63 million, with between 65 and 75 miilion illiterate people in the country.
While government – recognising that education is key to the stability of the economy – is looking at measures to formalise the non-formal education sector, there have again been calls for the establishment of more public-private sector partnerships in order to help overcome this challenge.
But, it’s also become increasingly clear that if we want to address this challenge, we can’t continue to do things as they’ve always been done.
According to Sthembile Shabangu, Lead: Public Relations, Public Affairs and Corporate Citizenship, Samsung Africa Office, ‘while we can’t ignore the importance of investing in content-related resources and the like, the most meaningful way we can make a major impact is through the country’s greatest educational asset – its teachers.
“Through teachers we have the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the stories of generations to come. Just one teacher can affect the lives of many students.
With this in mind Samsung set out to spread its Smart School initiative far and wide.
Geared towards the strategic development of teachers by enhancing the skills vital in today’s classroom, Samsung Smart Schools make use of the latest ICT solutions to drive teacher and student-led learning.
Equipped with a wide range of learning tools such as tablets, laptops, desktops, an e-board and a WiFi printer, these schools are designed to support interactive teaching and learning, as well as greater collaboration through engaging digital content.
“Our goal is to empower teachers to provide quality education through a combination of learner management systems, content and interactive management solutions.
“We don’t simply want to help teachers educate young Nigerians, we want to help them grow creative young minds for whom the sky is no longer the limit.
“To date, Samsung has rolled out five different smart schools across Nigeria in the districts of Ogun, Imo, Cross River, Abuja and Delta State.
“As a result, we have trained about 192 teachers – teachers who have no doubt left an incredible legacy in the lives of many more Nigerian students,” he added.
Leaving a legacy that will last
But the story doesn’t end there. If we truly want to see new generations making a tangible contribution to the workplace and helping to drive the economy forward, we need to make sure they are also equipped with practical skills to help them succeed.
Given that the digital age is upon us, we know that ICT and engineering skills top the list of capabilities which need to be developed if we truly want to progress. This is an area in which Samsung feels it can truly leverage its wealth of experience and expertise in the tech space to make a difference.
And for us the difference comes in the form of our two Engineering Academies in Lagos and Ekiti. Aimed at addressing the skills gap in technical and engineering expertise, the Engineering Academies not only draw on the knowledge and expertise of the company’s highly skilled staff members, but also equip students with ‘starter’ toolkits so that they are fully empowered to start growing their own businesses should this be the direction they wish to take.
Already these Academies have trained over 800 young minds and seen 257 students graduate.
There can be no doubt that the private sector has an increasingly important role to play in helping to address Nigeria’s education concerns. But, if we want to have a genuine effect on the country’s education scene, we have to become smarter in the way we address current challenges.
We need to ensure that the solutions we implement are powerful enough to spread beyond our spheres of influence. Indeed, we must make sure they have the reach needed to impact a nation.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the National Assembly to reject the Tinubu administration’s request to borrow $24 billion, warning that the move would significantly deepen Nigeria’s debt crisis.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the advocacy group warned that the proposed borrowing would raise Nigeria’s total debt stock to an estimated ₦183 trillion—an amount it described as “clearly not sustainable and not in the public interest.”
“The National Assembly must immediately refuse to approve the Tinubu administration’s request to borrow $24 billion,” the group said. “The growing national debt is not sustainable and not in the public interest.”
SERAP expressed concern over the heavy burden of debt servicing, which it said is already consuming a substantial portion of government revenue, leaving little room for critical public investment.
Nigeria’s total public debt is projected to surpass ₦180 trillion following the president’s latest loan request. The borrowing plan includes a proposal for over $21.5 billion in external loans, which equates to ₦33.39 trillion at the official exchange rate of ₦1,590 per dollar. The administration is also seeking approval for a domestic bond issuance worth ₦757.9 billion to settle outstanding pension liabilities.
President Tinubu said the 2025–2026 borrowing plan targets key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, water supply, security, and employment generation. He noted that the plan is also intended to cushion the economic impact of fuel subsidy removal.
The total loan request comprises $21.5 billion, €2.19 billion, and 15 billion Japanese Yen, alongside a €65 million grant. Tinubu assured lawmakers that the funds would be directed toward development projects across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with emphasis on rail networks, healthcare infrastructure, and poverty alleviation programs.
On pension-related borrowing, the president explained that the proposed bond issuance is aimed at clearing backlogs under the Contributory Pension Scheme. The measure, he added, has already received approval from the Federal Executive Council and is expected to improve retirees’ welfare, restore trust in the pension system, and inject liquidity into the economy.
Nigeria’s public debt has surged in recent years, rising by 48.6% in 2024 to ₦144.66 trillion—up from ₦97.34 trillion in 2023. The Federal Government accounts for 95% of that total.
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