Education
Sustainable EdTech and the Environment: What We Can Do Now
While climate change has been at the forefront of global discussions recently, the conversations around sustainable edtech are not mainstream. Nonetheless, the effects of climate change can have a direct impact on education and need more attention in the education sector.
Concern Worldwide US describes climate change as one of the biggest threats to education. It is an apt description because extreme weather conditions result in the destruction of school buildings and other infrastructures that the school system relies on.
Even when schools are not directly affected by extreme weather conditions, school buildings are still useful for housing others displaced by these weather conditions. Also, the impact of climate change on a family’s disposable income hampers the parents’ ability to afford an education for their children.
Hence, the Climate Risk Index Report by UNICEF asserted that the climate crisis is beyond an environmental issue but also a child’s rights crisis, as children are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in society.
In view of the impact of climate change on education, it is imperative that we take a cursory look at climate change from the standpoint of education, technology, and sustainability.
Exploring the Environmental Footprint of Sustainable EdTech
With the climate change discourse in full gear, industries have taken a closer look at their contributions to the global climate crisis. The digital technology industry, of which the edtech space is a subset, is proffering solutions to the global climate crisis.
With digital technology having the capacity to reduce about 15 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, the World Economic Forum argues that the sector wields the most power to stabilize the temperatures around the globe.
A glance at the edtech space shows that edtech companies are not only bringing energy-saving software to schools but also introducing other cutting-edge learning and teaching enablements that ensure that students and educators stay in touch and perform school tasks from wherever they are. Hence, they are cutting down on the use of gas, which translates to the reduction of emissions.
However, not all edtech solutions are sustainable, which brings us to the issue of sustainable edtech. Schools and other educational institutions need to reassess the energy efficiency of their ICT units and understand the ratio of emissions generated for every student. In making buying decisions, schools should opt for sustainability in edtech solutions.
On the part of edtech companies, it is only imperative that sustainability becomes a major concern. Edtechs can achieve sustainability by reducing the consumption of energy to its barest minimum, using eco-friendly edtech solutions, and ensuring proper disposal of e-waste.
Sustainable EdTech and Reduction of Carbon Emissions in Education in Africa
According to Statista, the African continent has cumulatively emitted 48 billion metric tons of carbon between 1884 and 2020. While it is the lowest in comparison to other continents of the world, it still points to the need for reduced carbon emissions to save the planet.
Leveraging green edtech in schools across the continent wields power to reduce carbon emissions. Hence, edtech companies can use one stone to kill two birds – enhancing the quality of education while reducing the impact on the environment.
Implementing Green EdTech for Students and Educators
Schools that switch from a paper-based storage system to cloud-based storage with the use of sustainable education technology will cut their energy consumption drastically. By utilizing education technology, schools can cut down on paper-based learning, embrace online learning, and communicate with parents and other stakeholders through electronic devices.
They can also save time and energy spent while commuting. Google Meet, Zoom, and other video conferencing tools help to achieve communication between students and education without jeopardizing the face-to-face experience with in-person meetings.
Also, educators can redirect the funds saved on paper into further enriching the learning experience of students, which will, in turn, enhance the overall performance of students in the school.
Apart from facilitating school processes, it will serve as a vital learning curve for students, especially about the global climate crisis and the need to conserve energy. Students can learn valuable lessons about the impact of their actions and use of resources on the environment
Best Practices for Sustainable EdTech
The increased use of technology in education comes with an associated increased exposure to security threats. However, cybersecurity tools are rising to the occasion and helping schools navigate these issues. Hence, a sustainable edtech solution will take cybersecurity seriously and stay up-to-date with its cybersecurity protection.
Edtechs can also leverage artificial intelligence in the bid to remain sustainable and combat climate change. While AI can be used in edtech solutions to create personalized learning for students, it can also come in handy for helping a school gain green status. Integrating AI into edtech solutions can help schools and other educational institutions keep track of their carbon emissions and find ways to cut down on these emissions from power plants, etc.
In making edtech more sustainable, edtech solutions embracing augmented and virtual reality will give students a learning experience that does not take them outside the school walls. Hence, the school can conserve energy and reduce its carbon footprint.
Envisioning the Future of Sustainable EdTech in Africa
The future unicorns of the edtech space in Africa will be the ones that have moved beyond edtech to sustainable edtech. Indeed, climate change is a real-world problem, and edtechs also have a role to play in the grand scheme of things.
In Africa, the consequences of climate change are direr. According to the African Development Bank report, the continent is the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, even though its emissions are the lowest. Hence, tackling climate change with edtech tools will give birth to more market opportunities in the continent.
With the increasing number of edtechs in Africa, especially the edtech in Nigeria, it is only reasonable that edtech companies transition fully into sustainable education technology, combat climate change and help drive the continent closer to achieving its sustainable development goals.
Schools in Nigeria can start by adopting a sustainable school management system in Nigeria. Doing so will reduce carbon emissions while improving collaboration among all stakeholders.
Realistically, the edtechs in Africa cannot achieve sustainability overnight. The industry is already dealing with the challenges of being innovative in a rapidly changing environment fraught with infrastructural and governmental issues. However, sustainability is the future of education technology in Nigeria and the next big thing for edtech companies.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has approved the renaming of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna, in honour of the late statesman, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, in a move aimed at preserving his legacy while strengthening Nigeria’s specialised energy education framework.
The PTDF announced that, following a presidential directive, the institution will now be known as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
In a statement, the Fund said the renaming reflects the federal government’s recognition of Yar’Adua’s contributions to national unity and Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
The late statesman, who died in 1997, was a prominent Nigerian soldier, politician, and businessman. He served as the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, under General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military administration from 1977 to 1979. He was the elder brother of former Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
“This historic renaming honours the enduring legacy of the late statesman, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, celebrating his profound contributions to national unity and the democratic journey of Nigeria,” the PTDF stated.
The institution, established to develop high-level manpower and technical expertise for Nigeria’s petroleum and energy industries, is expected to continue its academic and research activities without disruption despite the name change.
According to the PTDF, the university will maintain its focus on delivering advanced education, research and technology-driven solutions for the country’s oil, gas and emerging renewable energy sectors.
“The institution remains firmly committed to its mandate of delivering world-class research, specialised training, and cutting-edge engineering technology solutions to power Nigeria’s oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors,” the statement added.
The Fund further assured students, academic partners, industry stakeholders and development institutions that all existing programmes, collaborations and operational activities would continue seamlessly under the university’s new identity.
“All ongoing academic programs, partnerships, and operations continue uninterrupted under this new institutional identity,” PTDF said.
The renaming comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to build local capacity and technical expertise to support energy transition goals, deepen indigenous participation in the petroleum industry and strengthen research-driven innovation across the energy value chain.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A sustainability-focused programme known as Airtel Green Schools has been launched by Airtel Africa Foundation, as part of activities to commemorate the 2026 World Environment Day, themed Climate Action.
The initiative will create environmental learning spaces in primary and secondary schools, with the spaces to be branded Airtel Garden.
Already, the company’s 10 adopted schools, located in nine states across the country’s six geopolitical zones, have been onboarded as Green Schools.
Each of the schools now features an Airtel Garden, with dedicated sections for edible crops, fruit trees and shade trees, enabling pupils to learn firsthand about food cultivation, biodiversity and the importance of increasing green cover to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
The gardens also incorporate composting stations where organic waste generated within the school environment can be converted into nutrient-rich compost. To boost circular economy practices, plastic recycling segments have also been built into repurpose common wastes such as plastic bottles and tyres.
The beneficiary schools of the programme include St. George’s Nursery and Primary School, Ipaja, Lagos; Yahaya Primary School, Zaria; Iyeru-Okin Primary School, Iyeru-Okin, Kwara; St. John Primary School, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, and Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo State.
Others are Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross-River; Migrant Farmers Community Primary School, Umuahia, Abia State; Gwange III Primary School, Maiduguri, Borno State; Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne, Ogun State; and Government Day Primary School, Gombe State.
“We are excited to inaugurate Airtel Green Schools, which are designed to go beyond awareness and create real behavioural change within Nigeria’s school communities.
“Through the Restore, Reduce and Educate pillars, we are equipping young people with practical tools such as gardens, recycling awareness, and environmental learning resources.
“Our goal is to create a replicable Green School model that can be scaled and sustained over time, ensuring that environmental education becomes part of everyday learning for the children in our adopted schools,” the chairman of the foundation, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, stated.
Also speaking, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, said, “Climate action becomes meaningful when awareness is translated into action. Through the Airtel Garden, we are creating living classrooms where pupils can learn practical lessons about environmental stewardship, sustainable agriculture, waste management and the importance of protecting our planet.
“We believe that empowering young people with these experiences today will help shape a more environmentally responsible generation tomorrow.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, has been appointed as the chairman of the governing board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He was chosen for the role by President Bola Tinubu, according to a statement on Monday by the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Prof Ogundipe succeeds Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned his appointment after less than one year in office.
President Tinubu appointed Professor Aina in July last year, and the board members were inaugurated in November 2025.
As NUC Chairman, Prof Ogundipe will oversee the regulatory body of the Nigerian university system, focusing on funding, global competitiveness and academic stability.
He is expected to provide visionary leadership at the NUC and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system by advancing quality, access, and integrity in the education sector.
Prof Ogundipe headed the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022. He is a professor of Botany with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.
He holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos.
Currently, Prof Ogundipe, 66, serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
He is a fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology, London. He has also served as President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
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