Digital literacy: Kwara targets 7,500 students for coding programme

The Kwara State government has announced its commitment to positioning the state as a regional hub for innovation, technology, and digital opportunities, with plans to target 7,500 students for its Coding program across 50 public secondary schools.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the Special Assistant to the state governor on Digital Innovations, Hon. Kayode Ishola, revealed that over 5,500 students have already been onboarded into the state-led digital literacy initiative.

“The Kwara State government is leading the way in digital education with the continuation of its Kwara Coding and Digital Literacy Programme, which has become the largest of its kind by any state government in Nigeria,” Ishola said.

He added that the initiative, which was first introduced in 2024 with a pilot involving 684 students across six schools, has since expanded significantly. The program now aims to target 7,500 students across 50 public secondary schools in the state.

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“This strategic initiative is part of the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led administration’s broader agenda to position Kwara State as a regional hub for innovation, technology, and digital opportunities, in line with his role as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).”

“With a strong emphasis on public schools, the programme exposes students to digital literacy, coding, computational thinking, innovation, and foundational applications of Artificial Intelligence, all utilizing existing school computer labs and infrastructure.”

As of April 25, 2025, an impressive 5,503 students—73.4% of the target—have already been onboarded. The distribution includes 1,222 students from Kwara North (22.2%), 2,186 students from Kwara South (39.7%), and 2,095 students from Kwara Central (38.1%). Of these, 2,564 are male and 2,939 are female, representing 46.6% males and 53.4% females.

“This impressive uptake underscores the growing appeal and relevance of digital education among Kwara’s youth. It also reflects the administration’s success in making public schools not only competitive but also desirable—especially in a field traditionally dominated by high-cost private institutions.”

The recently concluded Holiday Edition (second term) of the programme, which ran from Monday, April 7 to Friday, April 25, 2025, provided another round of high-impact, hands-on training to hundreds of students across the state.

The state government has assured prompt disbursement of remuneration to participating schools and will also issue Certificates of Participation and Commendation to acknowledge their contributions.

The governor’s aide noted that the initiative has received commendations from national and international stakeholders, such as Women in Tech (WTech) and KidsTech Africa.

It also enjoys partnerships with relevant ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Technology. “The Kwara Coding and Digital Literacy Programme is not just about teaching young people how to use technology—it’s about preparing a future workforce capable of leading innovation across Africa.”

“It reflects Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s bold commitment to digital inclusion, youth empowerment, and sustainable development.”

This initiative runs in parallel with the Ilorin Innovation Hub, another landmark project recently commissioned by the Kwara State government to support startups, digital creators, and tech entrepreneurs. With the third term of the academic session now commencing, the programme will resume on Monday, May 5, 2025, delivering quality digital training to empower students with future-ready skills.