The Federal Government has announced the rollout of a nationwide digital education platform designed to create a comprehensive database of every school, learner, teacher and public education investment across Nigeria.
The initiative, known as the Digital National Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), is expected to transform education planning and administration by replacing fragmented data systems with a unified digital platform that provides accurate, real-time information for decision-making.
The platform will be officially unveiled on Wednesday alongside the launch of the Public DNEMIS Portal and the inauguration of DNEMIS State Implementation Teams.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit in the Office of the Minister of Education, Mr. Adebayo Onigbanjo, said the initiative addresses longstanding challenges caused by inconsistent and unreliable education data.
He noted that for years, education planning across the country had relied on fragmented reporting systems that weakened accountability, limited effective governance and slowed the sector’s response to emerging challenges.
According to Onigbanjo, the Federal Ministry of Education developed the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI) as a national framework to standardise and strengthen education data management across all levels of the education system.
He described DNEMIS as the flagship component of NEDI and a significant milestone in Nigeria’s drive towards a modern, integrated and technology-driven education management system.
“The platform will provide timely, reliable and accessible data to support planning, budgeting, policymaking, monitoring and service delivery, while ensuring every learner, teacher, school and public investment in education is captured within a single national database,” he said.
Onigbanjo stressed that the government is committed to making education reforms evidence-based rather than relying on estimates.
“The progress recorded through NEDI and the implementation of DNEMIS reflects the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring reforms are effectively coordinated, implemented and measured. Data is no longer a back-office function; it is becoming the engine of education reform in Nigeria,” he added.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Education on Digital Communications and E-Learning, Miss Mojoyin Adebajo, said the system was developed using the globally recognised District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform to modernise education administration and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.
She explained that one of the major features of the initiative is the digitisation of the Annual School Census, replacing manual data collection with a more efficient and integrated digital process.
According to Adebajo, the platform will generate up-to-date information on schools, learners, teachers and education infrastructure, enabling government to improve resource allocation, monitor education programmes and enhance service delivery nationwide.
She also highlighted the Public DNEMIS Portal as a major transparency initiative, saying it would, for the first time, provide researchers, journalists, policymakers, civil society organisations, development partners and members of the public with access to selected official education data.
“This represents an important step toward expanding access to information and encouraging broader participation in conversations that shape the future of education in Nigeria,” she said.
Officials acknowledged the technical support provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the University of Oslo in developing the platform.
Nigeria’s education sector has long faced challenges associated with fragmented and largely manual data collection processes, making it difficult to accurately monitor school enrolment, teacher deployment, infrastructure needs and overall education outcomes.
Education stakeholders have consistently advocated for a centralised national education database to improve transparency, accountability and coordination across federal and state institutions.
The introduction of DNEMIS, a key component of the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure, is expected to close these gaps by delivering real-time education data and supporting ongoing reforms under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative led by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa.
