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Teach For Nigeria Graduates Second Cohort Despite the Covid:19 Pandemic
Teach for Nigeria, a non-profit organization with a mission to give all children in Nigeria the opportunity to attain an excellent education, has graduated its second cohort despite the scourge of Coronavirus.
The graduating Fellows showed resilience and passion by dedicating their time and resources towards ensuring that their pupils continued to learn despite the pandemic.
The Group on Saturday, 22nd of August marked the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of its two year Fellowship Program.
These set of 161 fellows, the largest and most diverse cohort so far, will join the Teach For Nigeria’s existing alumni network thereby bringing the number of Alumni to 205.
Inducted in 2018, this set of graduating fellows impacted approximately 9,660 students in 80 schools across Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna states.
The past two years were spent improving the academic outcomes of students while igniting the love for learning, instilling self-belief and successfully galvanizing parental and community support to aid in the learning process of their students.
Amidst the coronavirus outbreak and school closure, the fellows continued to identify and adopt innovative ways and solutions to ensure that their pupils were not excluded from continued learning.
One of the fellows, Rejoyce Samuel leveraged the use of work packets to ensure that children in her school community continued to learn despite the pandemic while Temitope Ifegbesan and Gideon Ogunfeyinmi launched a project that addresses the parents’ financial inability to cater for their children’s education, feeding and health needs. These Fellows were able to empower mothers in low-income communities.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, Federal Republic of Nigeria, gave the commencement speech at the graduation ceremony; he said “I commend the work the fellows are doing, especially during this pandemic, to ensure that children who lack access to online technologies currently being adopted by private schools can learn during this period.
“These, along with many other accomplishments achieved by the fellows during the fellowship programme have shown us that youth leadership coupled with innovation, cooperation and collaboration can indeed be a panacea to the ills in our educational sector and a key to unlocking the full potential of our teeming youth and, by extension, the great potential of our dear country, Nigeria.”
Gbenga Oyebode, board chairman, Teach For Nigeria, in his opening remarks, said: “I salute the fellows and recognize the efforts that they put in to make their 2 years fellowship impactful, working to ensure that education continues despite the COVID-19 pandemic and in communities that lacked basic amenities.
“They have gone over and beyond to be not just teachers, but also mentors and role models to the children they served. I celebrate the graduating fellows and believe that they will continue to serve as change agents that will continue to champion the movement towards educational equity for all”.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Folawe Omikunle, chief executive officer, Teach For Nigeria said: “The great successes and achievements recorded by this set of Fellows has further entrenched our belief in the power of collective efforts in solving problems.
“In only two years of the Fellowship we have seen Fellows teach children under some extremely challenging conditions, yet they have been dogged, innovative and resourceful.
“This set of Fellows were resolved and committed to changing the narrative not just one classroom at a time but a child at a time.”
The Teach For Nigeria Fellowship is a two year full-time paid commitment, designed to build a movement of leaders across the nation who will work towards eliminating educational inequity in Nigeria by teaching in underserved schools in low-income communities.
From the pilot fellowship program in 2017 where approximately 2700 students were reached, Teach For Nigeria has scaled to provide access to education for approximately 10,000 students in marginalized communities in Lagos, Ogun and Kaduna states.
Teach For Nigeria will continue to work towards its goal of ensuring that about 500 Fellows are placed to serve over 30,000 of Nigeria’s most impoverished students by 2021
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court over the alleged failure to account for ₦55.9 billion reportedly meant for the procurement of election materials for the 2019 general elections.
The grave allegations are documented in the latest annual report published by the Auditor-General on 9 September 2025.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to account for the missing or diverted N55.9 billion meant to buy smart card readers, ballot papers, and other election materials for the 2019 general elections.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to disclose the names of all contractors paid the N55.9 billion for the procurement of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other election materials for the 2019 general elections, including the names of their directors and shareholders.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “INEC must operate without corruption if the commission is to ensure free and fair elections in the country and uphold Nigerians’ right to participation.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators including the contractors involved are not prosecuted and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered.”
According to SERAP, “INEC cannot properly carry out its constitutional and statutory responsibilities to conduct free and fair elections in the country if it continues to fail to uphold the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “These allegations also constitute abuse of public office and show the urgent need by INEC to commit to transparency, accountability, clean governance and the rule of law.”
SERAP also said, “Allegations of corruption in the supply of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets and other election materials directly undermine Nigerians’ right to participate in elections that are free, fair, transparent, and credible.”
The lawsuit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “These grim allegations by the Auditor-General suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international anticorruption standards.”
“According to the recently published 2022 audited report by the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ‘irregularly paid’ over N5.3 billion [N5,312,238,499.39] ‘to a contractor for the supply of Smart Card Readers for the 2019 general elections’.
“The contract was awarded without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Federal Executive Council. The payment was also ‘made without any document. There was no evidence of supplies to the commission.’”
Federal government has inaugurated a ₦40 billion closed-circuit television (CCTV) control centre for the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Speaking at the inauguration on Sunday, David Umahi, minister of Works, said the project followed extensive rehabilitation works carried out on the bridge after the current administration took office in 2023.
“When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge,” Umahi said, adding that the structure, along with Carter and Iddo bridges, required comprehensive re-evaluation and repairs both above and below water level.
He said President Bola Tinubu approved the total rehabilitation of the bridge, including replacement of expansion joints, noting that the completed work had improved driving conditions and extended the bridge’s lifespan.
Umahi said the CCTV system, first announced in 2025, was designed to curb dangerous driving, prevent suicide attempts and strengthen security.
He added that security personnel would monitor live footage from the control centre and enforce speed limits on the bridge.
The minister commended the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which executed the project, for what he described as high-quality delivery. He said the contract also included a surveillance boat and two Hilux vans, which would be handed over to the police to support monitoring and rapid response.
“The idea is that we can see everything that is happening on the bridge,” Umahi said, expressing concern over excessive speeding and urging motorists to comply with traffic regulations.
Earlier, Olufemi Dare, federal controller of works in Lagos, said the facility was the first of its kind on any bridge in Nigeria.
He said the system allows real-time monitoring of activities on the bridge and surrounding waters.
Dare said the project includes 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300 KVA transformer, a standby generator, multiple monitoring screens and full air-conditioning for the control centre.
He added that the contract also covers 1,268 solar-powered street lights and a borehole facility.
According to Dare, the project was awarded at a cost of ₦40.17 billion, with about ₦36 billion paid so far to the contractor. He said the current inauguration marked the first phase, with additional commissioning planned once work on the bridge’s extension is completed.
He thanked the president for approving the project and praised Umahi for ensuring due process during its execution.
As Africa stands at the threshold of a digital revolution, Carbon AI has officially announced the AI in Action 2026 conference, scheduled for January 22, 2026, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel.
In a statement in Lagos, Debola Ibiyode, Convener of AI in Action 2026 and CEO of Carbon AI, disclosed that the AI in Action 2026 conference aims to move beyond the typical industry hype to focus on practical, homegrown innovation under the theme: “Driving Productivity, Innovation, and Sustainability—Building the Future in AI Together.”
“AI in Action 2026 is designed as a high-impact platform where deep-tech innovation meets real-world application. The conference will specifically explore how Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic AI Frameworks, and Generative AI can be harnessed to power Africa’s transformation,” she noted in the statement.
Debola also emphasizes that the time for mere discussion has passed, stressing that AI in Action 2026 is for people who want to do more than just talk about AI; it’s for those ready to build, apply, and lead.
“We aren’t chasing hype or funding; we are chasing real impact. Our mission is to empower budding founders to turn ideas into deployable solutions while championing responsible AI adoption that creates measurable social and economic change across the continent,” she added.
The statement explains that the conference features a curated experience designed to foster genuine collaboration. It includes keynote speeches and panels that offer deep dives into Generative AI, Agentic Frameworks, and their intersection with global sustainability.
Attendees can participate in practical workshops with hands-on sessions focused on building, deploying, and scaling AI tools. The event also features a startup and product showcase that highlights cutting-edge, African-built AI solutions.
Additionally, dedicated mentorship and networking sessions will connect early-stage founders with seasoned practitioners and industry leaders.
The event is a call to action for a diverse cross-section of the ecosystem, including Software and AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Business Leaders, Educators, Policymakers, Students, and ICT Infrastructure companies, enabling AI deployment, including datacenter providers. By bringing these groups together, the conference seeks to ensure the AI revolution is inclusive, ethical, and sustainable.
AI in Action 2026 Now offers tiered sponsorship packages for organizations looking to position themselves at the forefront of Africa’s technological future. Sponsors will gain direct access to a unique demographic of decision-makers and the next generation of AI talent.
“Africa’s digital revolution must be homegrown. Whether you’re building solutions, shaping policy, or mentoring young innovators, this is your platform. Together, we’re not just discussing the future, we’re building it,” she concluded.
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