Post-2000, every country requires high-quality online infrastructure to compete on a global scale. This has long been the opinion of mainstream Nigerian politicians like Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and it’s an attitude that many maintain to this day. As one of the most connected countries on the African continent, Nigeria is performing well in bringing broadband and wireless to the masses, and for the growing landscape of online education, the implications could be immense.
A Broadening Range of Access0
Though regular schooling will always play a crucial part in mainstream education, in the internet age, it’s far from the only option. Today, online classes for critical areas like language, taking Spanish classes for children as an example, are increasingly cheap, convenient, and easy to use. Widespread languages like Spanish start from as low as $5 an hour for one-on-one tutoring, with flexible times and engaging systems helping students from all walks of life. Together with traditional systems going online, there are more choices than ever.
Nigeria’s Online Situation
According to a study from 2020, Nigeria ranks third in Africa in terms of overall Internet penetration, with 73% of the population able to go online. This is a huge step up from countries like Togo and Liberia, and above the global average of 62%, but penetration rates alone only tell part of the story.
Just as important is the speed of both cabled and wireless internet. Current speed tests reveal Nigeria as rated 98th globally for mobile speeds, at around 17Mbps. Fixed broadband places Nigeria 141st, with average download speeds barely exceeding 10Mbps. With the global average of 28.69Mbps, this indicates room for great improvement.
Nigeria’s Next Steps
Assurances from Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, paint Nigeria as having the fifth-biggest 5G coverage in Africa by 2022. Though reports haven’t yet stated if this goal has been hit, it does at least indicate serious effort has been driving Nigeria’s internet growth. With plans extending to fiber rollout, the country has seen online growth accelerate considerably over the 2020s.
Implications for Online Education
Though many online systems require immense data concerns, online education is essentially not one of them. Instead, online education systems for most skills can operate without issue on Nigeria’s current systems, with future updates only making this form of access more convenient.
Whether performing work for existing schools and universities or taking new routes for online skill acquisition, 10Mbps is usually acceptable. In submitting essays, taking online tests, or streaming, the global internet has reached a point where minimum standards are easily attainable.
However, there can be other issues that might arise, as noted by education professionals. Most notedly, power supply to some areas can be a mitigating problem, where increased demand placed by computer systems could cause concern. As with broadband access, improving infrastructure will likely address this issue with time.
It’s still early in the 2020s, and Nigeria is gaining momentum with its involvement in online education. Whether offering more options for domestic students or opening up international opportunities, the possibilities for Nigerians are better than ever. Of course, it might take another couple of years before this form of access becomes standard, but it looks like it could just be a matter of time at this rate.
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