Unleashing the Giant of Africa – Education Transformation through Technology

On the 1st of October, I reflected on Nigeria today, a country that gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960. Having been born several years after independence, I have spent my entire life trying to unravel the complexities of Nigeria, including its people, culture, economy, education, and religion. While so much about Nigeria doesn’t make sense, we have learned to accept and live with it all.

As a child, I believed that only certain people with privileges could be successful and reach the top. But over time, I developed a broader perspective and made daring moves to explore as much as I can. I began to see Nigeria as a country full of untapped potential in its human and natural resources, but only those with the means to exploit it could take advantage, while others lived in frustration and despondency.

However, things have started to change recently, thanks to the global transformation over the past 30 years. Today, Nigeria is galloping into the future, and anyone with the simplest mobile phone, no matter how uneducated, can see that the Nigeria of yesterday is not the same as the Nigeria of today and will not be the same as the Nigeria of tomorrow.

As someone who believes in Nigeria’s potential, my aspiration is for a country where all people have unconstrained access to opportunities, the means to exploit those opportunities, and the space to participate in building this nation for present and future generations. We need all hands on deck to make Nigeria the great country it should be. I envision a Nigeria that can serve as an example for others to follow, where everyone looks out for each other, and where everyone can live in peace, security, and abundance.

In the past decade, we have seen significant changes, especially in the past three years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has been an enabler of the transformation we have been waiting for in education, as it ushered in the era of digital transformation in education without the need for persuasion. With COVID-19 came the lockdown to keep us all safe from contracting or transmitting the disease, but life and education continued behind locked doors at home. As a result, online learning became ubiquitous, with various innovations being pushed out globally to keep learning going.

In Nigeria, we have seen our fair share of innovations in education, driven by individuals with knowledge, skills, and passion to provide solutions to some of the problems we face in education, both before, during, and after COVID-19. Access to education remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with millions of children out of school. Improving access to education will require a concerted effort from the government, NGOs, and individuals. The teaching and learning process also needs improvement, with a focus on content knowledge, pedagogy, and relevant technology in teacher education.

Curriculum and content need to be updated to meet the challenges of the 21st century education. It is also crucial to reduce the duration of studies, particularly in higher education, where students have to endure long strikes and delays. Finally, there is a need to address the problem of unemployment among graduates, which is a significant challenge in Nigeria.

As someone who has worked in education during this period, I have seen firsthand the need for a complete overhaul of the education system in Nigeria to ensure we have the kind of system we need to drive the kind of development required for a better Nigeria. Moreover, we live in a global world now, and we must compete favorably with other nations of the world in our education and the dividends it brings.

As Florence Nightingale said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is a human right and a driver of development, reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability. By investing in education, we can ensure equality of opportunities and reap the rewards of a prosperous nation.

By leveraging the ongoing digital transformation in education to ensure the improvement and development our education system needs, we can bring the Nigeria of our dreams within reach. At Webhostville Services, we are doing our part to transform education using technology to improve outcomes and create a better life for everyone in the Country.

We provide technical services to support the delivery of high-quality online learning for educational institutions, individual educators, and businesses. We implements your online learning platform, and we provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure its success.

If you have made it this far,  It means I have successfully captured your attention. Would you like to share your own reflections and aspirations for this country and what you are doing about it.? If you are inspired by our mission and think our services can help you achieve your goals, please feel free to reach out to us directly via WhatsApp or email.