The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has continued to support digital skills, entrepreneurship, education, and capacity building in Nigeria through partnerships with government institutions and development organisations. KOICA's interventions span digital governance, education, healthcare, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and public administration. Since establishing its Nigeria office in 2008, KOICA has implemented various development and training programmes with a total budget of approximately 82.74 billion Korean won.
About 2,000 Nigerians have participated in training and scholarship programmes in Korea, providing opportunities for skills development, knowledge exchange, and exposure to new approaches. KOICA's Senior Deputy Country Director, Mr Ki-Hyun Baik, gave an overview of the agency's development cooperation in Nigeria, highlighting its various interventions. Baik emphasized KOICA's commitment to strengthening human capital and expanding economic opportunities in Nigeria.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with KOICA to build platforms for digital innovation, skills acquisition, and business development. UNDP Head of Inclusive Growth Claire Henshaw said the partnership was helping to create opportunities for young Nigerians and entrepreneurs to acquire skills, improve their businesses, and leverage digital tools and artificial intelligence. The Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE), whose construction recently commenced, is one of the initiatives.
The ACE centre will provide opportunities for young Nigerians and entrepreneurs to acquire skills, improve their businesses, and leverage digital tools and artificial intelligence. Henshaw, who is the UNDP project manager for ACE, said the initiative was particularly important as Nigeria and Africa adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for a significant share of employment in Nigeria.
The involvement of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) will help expand access to entrepreneurship support and extend the benefits of the initiative to more businesses. Henshaw said UNDP had also supported a fashion hub and provided a 120kVA mini-grid within the SMEDAN ecosystem, with more than 1,000 MSMEs benefiting from the intervention. Access to infrastructure, energy, technology, and technical support remained critical to enabling small businesses to reach their full potential.
On education, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba, highlighted KOICA's contribution to digital education and teacher capacity building in Nigeria. Garba said the partnership, which has been ongoing for several years, supported the first phase of the Smart Education Project, designed to demonstrate how technology and innovation could strengthen teachers' capacity and improve learning outcomes.
Key achievements of the Smart Education Project included the establishment of six Digital Content Development Studios, development of operational frameworks, and the creation of platforms to support schools implementing digital education. The studios were equipped with high-tech facilities to support digital education. KOICA's partnership with UBEC has significantly contributed to digital education and teacher capacity building in Nigeria, improving learning outcomes and teachers' capacity.
Key points
- KOICA has implemented development programmes in Nigeria with a total budget of approximately 82.74 billion Korean won.
- The Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship will provide opportunities for young Nigerians and entrepreneurs to acquire skills and leverage digital tools and artificial intelligence.
- KOICA's partnership with UBEC has contributed to digital education and teacher capacity building in Nigeria.
