Education
NGO Seeks For Partnership In Building Young Talents in Robotics Skill
Mariam Sanni
The Founder of Coderina EDTECH, Olajide Ajayi has emphasized the need for broader stakeholder involvement in building young talent in robotics, coding and digital skills, particularly from the corporate and non -profit sectors, to enhance the program’s impact.
Ajayi said this in an interview with pressmen at the opening ceremony of 2024/2025 First LEGO League Nigeria championship in Robotics held in Abuja .
He explained that the program is aimed at discovering and nurturing young talent in robotics, coding, and digital skills.
According to him, the program was initiated in 2012 and expanded in 2016 through a partnership with the Ministry of Education, has inspired over 10,000 students and influenced educational policies.
He added that the initiative has also motivated students to create their own organizations and tech solutions, highlighting the importance of problem-solving and critical thinking in innovation
“Students are not only learning but also creating solutions to community problems, such as the Emmanuel robot created by Federal Government Girls College. The program has led to the creation of new organizations and companies by participants, and many seek mentoring to scale their solutions globally.
“Critical thinking and the ability to see problems as opportunities for innovation are key to solving challenges.The program encourages participants to think critically and create solutions to real-world problems. Innovation happens when individuals can identify and resolve challenges in their communities.
He identified the Federal Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, as well as the Ministry of Science and Technology, as key stakeholders, calling for more partnership with the agencies.
He said that increased involvement from these stakeholders would benefit the program and its participants.
Ajayi reiterated that the program aims to continue growing and inspiring more young people to create and innovate with technology.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa who was represented by the Director of Technology and Science Education, Dr MA Olodo during his welcome address at the event, said the the programme is showcasing the outstanding achievement of young minds who have worked tirelessly to design, build and programme robots.
He added that it is also a powerful platform that encourages participants to tackle real-world problems through innovative, teamwork, impact and discovery .
“The competition’s four core elements – Research , Robot Design, Core , Values and the Robot Game – highlight the diverse skills required to excel in the AI – driven World. It is my hope that every team here has not only advanced their technical skills but also cultivated critical life skills such as teamwork , problem- solving and resilience,” he stated.
He urged all stakeholders to support the winners in their journey to represent Nigeria at the International Championship , noting that this will create life changing opportunities for the young innovators.
The competition is among 1000 participants who are young talents and over 40 secondary schools across the country .
Education
Athena Centre Appointed to NGREN Board as Federal Government Deepens Data-Driven Governance
Joel Ajayi
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN)/Tertiary Education Research Applications and Services (TERAS). NgREN -Nigeria’s national research and education backbone – provides high-speed connectivity, shared digital services, and collaboration infrastructure for universities and research institutions, while TERAS powers the digital applications that support research, data exchange, and digital learning across the tertiary system.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the center’s Media and Communications Officer Paul Liam.
The new NgREN/TERAS Board was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the Nigeria National EdTech Strategy Mid-Term Co-Creation Workshop, hosted with support from Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank Group.
The Board includes the Executive Secretaries of NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and TETFund; representatives of vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts; and major digital infrastructure stakeholders such as NCC, Galaxy Backbone, and USPF. The Athena Centre joins the Board as the civil society voice.
In his remarks, Dr. Alausa acknowledged the Centre’s role in shaping national transparency reforms, noting that the Ministry’s Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance Transparency Portal (FTIGTP) drew inspiration from Athena’s research and advocacy.
He expressed confidence that the reconstituted Board will deliver measurable improvements within two years to strengthen Nigeria’s research ecosystem and digital readiness.
Representing the Centre on the Board, its Chancellor, Chief Osita Chidoka, OFR, commended the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based reform.Reaffirming the Ministry’s digital direction, Dr. Alausa stated: “For the first time, Nigeria is building a unified data architecture for basic, secondary, and tertiary institutions. You cannot reform what you cannot measure, and we are determined to measure what matters.”
Echoing the need for interoperability, Dr. Tijani emphasised the importance of shared digital infrastructure, noting:“Digital transformation fails when systems operate in silos. Our priority is a national architecture where platforms talk to each other and every school is connected.”
Chidoka welcomed the digital innovation underway but stressed the importance of deeper inclusion of state governments, who own and manage most Nigerian schools, in planning, implementation, and financing.
According to him:“For education to succeed, states must invest, lead, and commit. The Federal Government must coordinate and support, but it cannot carry the burden of school management alone.”
The Athena Centre reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal and state governments in strengthening education data systems, digital governance, and transparent accountability.Media Contact:
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