Education
UNICEF, Ericsson to Map Internet in Nigerian Schools
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Swedish multinational networking and communications company, Ericsson, have collaborated to provide internet connectivity mapping to educational institutions in Nigeria.
In a statement, the Country Manager of Ericsson Nigeria, Mr Sean Cryan, said that the goal of the project with the theme Mapping school internet connectivity would help to bridge the digital divide by providing internet access for the next generation.
“We are planning to share the list of the first 10 countries in the fourth quarter of this year, while the remaining countries will be communicated in 2021,” he said.
He added that the project would start before the end of 2023, adding that the initial take-off would also depend on where their teams would be allowed to travel and operate safely.
According to him, digital transformation, undoubtedly, impacts various sectors and organisations by helping them leverage beneficial opportunities that come with new technologies.
“Mapping the internet connectivity landscape in schools and their surrounding communities will be of great importance, given its vital role.
“Connectivity mapping is a primary source for providing children with the necessary means and capabilities to exploit the opportunities provided by the advantages of digital learning,” he said.
He said that the partnership falls within the framework of the “Giga” initiative that was launched in 2019 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in cooperation with UNICEF.
Mr Cryan added that it had the primary goal of connecting all schools on the planet to the internet.
The country manager also highlighted the benefits of mapping to governments and the private sector.
He said that it would help them design and deploy digital interventions to support uninterrupted learning for children and young people adding that the notion that some internet users employed the use of the facility from their homes while many others use it at school.
“The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that over 53 per cent of the world’s population used the internet in 2019, up from under 17 per cent in 2005.
“Although we have broad statistics on internet usage, the mapping will help us to understand how access by schools fits into that and where the gaps are.
“Ericsson’s vision calls for us to connect the unconnected because we believe that access to communication is a basic human need.
“We also believe that people in the rural parts of Africa will benefit greatly from mobile connectivity, which greatly increases access to information and services that support health, education and small businesses.’’
According to the Country Manager, digital connectivity is one of the ‘Global Breakthroughs’ which the Giga project is looking to address.
“The partnership between UNICEF and Ericsson will take the first vital step in mapping and understanding the connecting gap,” he said.
Mr Cryan also speaking on the scope of the project, said that Ericsson had committed resources for data engineering and data science capacity to accelerate the mapping.
He said that the company would specifically assist with the collection, validation, analysis, monitoring and visual representation of real-time school connectivity data.
“Ericsson is the first private sector partner to join this initiative and does so as a Global UNICEF Partner for School Connectivity Mapping.
“Collected data will enable governments and the private sector to design and deploy digital solutions that enable learning for children and young people.
“Additionally, Ericsson will engage its extensive customer base in the Giga initiative to further advance this mission,” he said.
The Country Manager further added that the total value of the partnership between Ericsson and UNICEF would be determined over time, adding that they were yet to arrive at the amount of time and resources needed to support the project.
He also said that both organisations were still working together to assess the locations where the programme would likely have the greatest impact.
He said that this would afford them the opportunity of taking the advantage of the information, choice and opportunities that it would bring.
He also added that Ericsson had been working on how to provide communication services and solutions to challenges facing ICT users since its inception.
He said that this had been across network segments so as to make the operations of telecom service providers more efficient and bolster their digital transformation.
According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, mobile broadband subscription penetration in the Sub-Saharan Africa region is approximately 30 per cent and is forecasted to reach around 50 per cent by the end of 2025.
Also citing a Mobile Economy 2018 report by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA), it was noted that the 49 per cent mobile subscription of Nigeria’s 196 million people is expected to reach 55 per cent by 2025.
Mr Cryan also spoke on the strategic importance of Nigeria to the projects. He said that with Nigeria currently holding one of the highest numbers of mobile subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa, superior network performance is imperative.
According to him, Ericsson is committed to partnering local service providers in meeting the growing demands of subscribers for an enriched broadband experience.
He also said that the importance of establishing a high-quality mobile broadband service in Nigeria cannot be overestimated.
“It opens up opportunities for people to improve their productivity locally and fuels new businesses which feed into boosting the economic growth of the country.
“In collaboration with Ericsson, local service providers have rolled out an LTE network that has had a significant impact on the user experience in Nigeria.
“Download and upload speeds in the completed areas are exceptional and customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Nigerians can now experience a truly world-class data service with faster web browsing and downloads,” he said.
Furthermore, the Country Manager said that for the company to deliver sustainable impact, it had begun to collaborate with various partners to facilitate societal impact and provide equal opportunities.
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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