Victoria Mbangwa
In a bold stride toward transforming Nigeria’s education sector, the Federal Government has pledged robust support for the integration of information technology in schools while sounding a clear warning against unlicensed IT practitioners threatening the credibility of the profession.
At the 2025 Information Technology Professional Assembly held in Abuja, Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, reaffirmed the government’s dedication to leveraging information technology to expand educational access and quality across the country. Represented by Olie Frank, Deputy Director of Science Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, the minister emphasized the indispensable role of IT in driving 21st-century learning and sustainable national development.
“The Federal Ministry of Education is conscious of your efforts at enforcing the Act that established CPN by making it mandatory for all individuals and corporate organisations that are practising information technology in Nigeria to be duly registered with CPN.” Alausa said, highlighting the government’s recognition of IT as a catalyst for transformation in education.
However, amidst the celebration of technological progress, Alausa raised a red flag about the growing presence of quack IT practitioners. He called on the Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria), CPN, to intensify enforcement of its regulatory powers and ensure that all IT professionals and organizations are properly registered.
“The global practice is for professionals to regulate their profession properly in order to exterminate quacks and undesirable elements from making incursions into the profession,” he noted, warning that lax regulation could undermine the integrity of computer education and practice in Nigeria.
The event, hosted by CPN at the NAF Conference Centre, drew stakeholders from government, industry, civil society, and academia. It served as a platform for charting strategies to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and safeguard its cyberspace.
Kole Jagun, President and Chairman of the CPN Council, reiterated the importance of the Assembly, now in its 19th edition, as a hub for critical conversations on emerging IT trends. This year’s theme centered on cybersecurity, digital misinformation, and the promotion of homegrown technological innovation.
“This gathering is more than just a meeting; it is an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and inspire one another.” Jagun said. “The rapid evolution of technology demands that we stay ahead through continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and professional networking,”
The Assembly concluded with calls for stronger inter-agency cooperation, digital literacy campaigns, and policies that support local tech development while keeping Nigeria’s digital ecosystem secure and credible.
