The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has called on African nations to leverage technology to transform their education systems and drive sustainable development across the continent.
Alausa made the call in Abuja at the opening of the MoodleMoot Africa Conference 2025, organised by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), with the theme “Leveraging the Power of Disruptive Technologies for Africa’s Educational Transformation.”
He said Africa must take charge of its “digital destiny” by using technology to empower its people and strengthen education delivery.
“We are here to explore how open-source solutions like Moodle have transformed learning globally—offering cost-effectiveness, flexibility, scalability, and institutional ownership for educational growth in Africa,” Alausa stated.
He noted that the world was at a pivotal stage where technology was redefining learning, adding that Africa must not only catch up but also build digital sovereignty over its learning systems and data.
NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, in his remarks, said the conference aimed to unite academics, developers, and technologists to build an inclusive and innovation-driven education ecosystem.
“This year’s theme is apt because artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet, and big data are transforming every facet of our lives. Education must evolve—not as a passive consumer of technology but as a creative force driving human development,” Peters said.
He described Moodle as a “bridge that connects learners across geographical divides,” providing access to global classrooms and empowering educators to become digital architects.
Peters said the conference was designed around three thematic areas—student success and inclusion, skills development, and sustainable Moodle ecosystems—toward building resilient learning frameworks for Africa.
He commended the Minister of Education, TETFund, the National Universities Commission, Galaxy Backbone, and other partners for their contributions to advancing digital learning in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Ms. Lindi Mminele, Deputy High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, lauded the conference for promoting scalable and localised digital education solutions.
She commended Nigeria for hosting the event for the first time, noting that it followed South Africa’s two successful editions through the University of South Africa (UNISA), a pioneer in open and distance learning.
Mminele highlighted the strong educational collaboration between Nigeria and South Africa and expressed optimism that the conference would deepen partnerships for technology-driven learning across Africa.
The conference, which hosts over 400 delegates from 24 countries, is expected to end on Friday.
