Professor Tahir Mamman, Nigeria’s Education Minister, has expressed interest in collaborating with the Swedish Government to leverage technology to enhance education in the country, particularly in early childhood education.
During a courtesy visit by the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Annika Hahn Englund, in Abuja, Professor Mamman highlighted the potential collaboration opportunities. He noted the presence of numerous Swedish ICT-based companies in Nigeria and emphasised the need to harness their expertise in the education sector, especially in early childhood education, to equip children with modern knowledge and skills from an early age.
He commended Sweden’s “Education First” programme in Nigeria, which promotes the use of indigenous languages in learning, offers scholarships to Nigerian students, and fosters peaceful hosting without complaints. Professor Mamman proposed the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate cooperation and activities between both countries, suggesting that the draft be forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for necessary action in collaboration with the Swedish embassy.
In response, Ambassador Annika Hahn Englund expressed her readiness to explore collaboration opportunities, particularly with the National Universities Commission. She highlighted Sweden’s digital platforms that could be beneficial in Nigeria for educational purposes, film production, tourism, and more. Ambassador Englund mentioned the “Education First” digital platform in Nigeria, which supports learning across all education levels.