UNICEF Expands Offline Digital Learning Hubs to Children in Hard-to-reach Communities in Kaduna
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
Thousands of children in hard-to-reach communities in Kaduna State are expected to gain access to digital education without internet connectivity as the Nigerian Learning Passport (NLP) rolls out offline learning hubs across parts of the country.
The Kaduna State Team Lead of the Nigerian Learning Passport, Philip Mamman, disclosed this during the 2026 National Children’s Day celebration held at the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Mamman said the initiative is targeted at addressing one of the biggest barriers to digital learning in Nigeria — poor internet access in rural and underserved communities.
“We know there are communities without internet access. The offline hub allows learners in such areas to use the platform without the internet,” he said.
The Nigerian Learning Passport, supported by UNICEF in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education and hosted by the Federal Ministry of Education, is an online learning platform designed to improve literacy and numeracy among Nigerian children.
According to Mamman, Kaduna is among states expected to benefit from the offline learning innovation as efforts intensify to bridge learning gaps and reach out-of-school children.
He explained that the platform currently has more than 2.2 million users nationwide, making it one of Africa’s largest digital learning platforms.
Beyond internet-based access through phones, laptops and desktop computers, the introduction of offline hubs is expected to significantly widen access for learners in remote communities where connectivity remains a challenge.
Mamman also revealed that about 70,000 teachers across Nigeria have so far been trained to use the platform effectively, with UNICEF providing technical support in digital learning innovation and teacher capacity development.
He added that the initiative is increasingly promoting blended learning — combining conventional classroom teaching with technology-enabled tools such as artificial intelligence and generative AI learning assistants.
The NLP was launched in Abuja on March 24, 2022, by late former President Muhammadu Buhari through the then Minister of State for Education.
So far, 24 states have launched the programme, with Gombe State emerging as the latest state to join the initiative in April.
Mamman said the long-term goal is to scale the platform to more than 30 states and the FCT to ensure every Nigerian child can access quality learning opportunities regardless of location or economic background.
