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:
Education
Nigerian Teen Makes Historic Breakthrough in $400,000 Global Science Competition
A brilliant young Nigerian student, Daniel Adeluy ihas advanced to the semi-finals of the 2025 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, which is one of the world’s most prestigious global science competitions for teenagers.
From thousands of entries worldwide, only 30 semi-finalists were selected, and Daniel is the first Nigerian in the competition’s 11-year history to reach this remarkable stage.
Daniel’s submission, a visually engaging, two-minute video, explains wormholes in a simple and intuitive way. Why wormholes? In his words:
“For me, wormholes represent a path to reaching the seemingly unreachable. I’ve always been a curious person and an avid reader and books about space, physics, and the mysteries of the universe fascinate me. I find it interesting that physics can turn ideas that seem impossible into things that could be real. I love adventure, and my passion for science and media intersected perfectly in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.”
The stakes are enormous:$250,000 university scholarship for the winner$50,000 prize for the teacher.
$100,000 state-of-the-art science laboratory for the school.
Daniel is on the verge of making history, and he needs public support to reach the finals.He has developed interests across academics, leadership, and creative activities.
He previously served as the Assistant Head Boy at Brickhall School Abuja, where he received the Chairman’s Award for Academic Excellence during his graduation ceremony. Daniel captains his estate’s U18 football team and also enjoys basketball.
In addition, he taught himself to play the keyboard and has composed a number of original pieces, reflecting his willingness to explore different skills and hobbies.
Daniel is the founder of BRAINS (Building Real-world Artificial Intelligence and Next-generation Skills), a youth-focused nonprofit that provides children with early exposure to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
His mission is to help younger students develop confidence and curiosity about the future of work.
A Passion for Learning, Storytelling, and Discovery.
Daniel credits his communication skills to his habit of consuming high-quality educational content.
He frequently watches National Geographic and history documentaries, and enjoys reading scientific classics such as A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.These resources, he says, shaped his ability to connect complex ideas and present them in clear and engaging ways, skills essential to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.
Since 2021, Daniel has also volunteered in his church (The Capital Assembly’s) media unit, where he gained hands-on experience in storytelling and content production. These skills played a direct role in the polished science video that earned him global recognition.
Call for Public SupportTo advance to the final round, Daniel needs likes on his video posted on both the Breakthrough Prize Facebook page and YouTube channel.The submission with the highest combined engagement gets a guaranteed spot in the finals.
Daniel is calling on Nigerians at home and abroad to support his journey.“I would be very grateful if people would watch my video and like it on both platforms if they enjoy it,” he said.
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