The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has launched a Digital Transformation and Change Management Roadmap and appointed 100 Digital Champions from its headquarters and state boards to accelerate technology integration across Nigeria’s basic education sector. Executive Secretary Dr. Aisha Garba described the initiative at the Abuja launch as a landmark step toward creating a modern, data-driven, future-ready commission capable of delivering quality education more efficiently. The roadmap sets a strategic framework for modernizing UBEC’s operations, stakeholder engagement and support systems, and emphasizes that transformation is about people, processes and culture as well as technology.
UBEC has begun rolling out digital tools including the Microsoft 365 suite, the UBEC Hub intranet, digital communication channels and data-driven management systems to reduce administrative bottlenecks and boost staff productivity. The commission is also advancing teaching-and-learning initiatives—establishing digital learning centres, expanding model smart schools, deploying interactive smart boards and strengthening education-data systems through local and international partnerships. The 100 Digital Champions, drawn from departments, units, zonal and state offices, were chosen to act as change agents: promoting adoption of digital tools, supporting colleagues, identifying innovation opportunities and bridging knowledge gaps.
Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) Rasaq Akinyemi and Director of Digital Platforms and Analytics Yau Garba urged the champions to lead the transition, noting resistance to change as a key obstacle. They highlighted innovations such as electronic document management, virtual collaboration platforms and artificial intelligence as tools to simplify workflows and improve productivity. UBEC has started distributing laptops to staff and will intensify capacity-building programs to ensure effective technology use. The launch included presentation of devices to the champions and an Award of Excellence to Dr. Garba in recognition of her leadership in advancing digital transformation in Nigeria’s basic education sector.
