LearnAM

Two-thirds of the Nigerian population remain offline and lack the digital skills needed to thrive in today's technologically inclined world. These Nigerians miss out on educational, health and financial benefits that can only be accessed online and thus, continue to have low and unbearable standards on living.

LearnAM focuses on the digitally inactive population by providing a 360 approach to digital inclusion and mobile adoption. Simply put, the right motivation to use the internet and the content translated to indigenous languages all made available on smart-feature phones, play very important roles in improving these figures greatly.

With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is evident how internet interconnectivity and interdependence is the driving force behind the economic, health and financial prosperity of the world. Whereas on a micro level, acquiring digital skills leads to increase in the employability of an individual and can kick start their entrepreneurial journey.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that there will be a surge in the demand for digital skills in Africa with about 230 million jobs requiring basic level of digital literacy. The World Bank further estimates that by 2030, 35-45% of jobs available in Nigeria will require some level of computer literacy and the ability to apply technology where needed.

Numerically, this translates to about 20 million jobs but only a quarter of these jobs will be in the traditionally technologically-driven industries such as ICT and e-commerce. This means that jobs outside of these sectors will require digital skills as more companies grow and navigate towards leveraging technology to improve output. 

This is worrisome as The GSM Association (GSMA) puts internet adoption rate in Africa at 24% which is an indication that effective measures need to be put in place to improve this figure significantly. 

Apart from having access to internet, Nigerians also struggle with high data costs, limited internet knowledge and unavailability of content in localized languages.

Developed using KaiOS which enables cheap, data-friendly, and smart-feature phones access the internet, LearnAM therefore becomes a one-fit platform that provides solution to these problems.

LearnAM, developed using KaiOS, an operating system that enables affordable feature-phones to access the internet, is currently available on the KaiOS App Store with Android and Web Apps in the works. It employs a fremium model meaning that some content are free while some are paid for which ensures sustainability of the platform.

For a potential learner who already owns a device, they can download from the App Store and begin learning. However, those who do not own devices can access the loan being disbursed by our debt financier, VFD Microfinance Bank. Once successful, they are onboarded onto the platform and begin learning whilst servicing their loans. 

A PAYG phone-lock technology installed in the device ensures that users pay up their loans on timely basis or lose risking their phone functionalities.

The modular content available on the platform have been translated to the major languages spoken in Nigeria – Pidgin English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, are 2-3 minutes long, self-paced, accessible offline, and progress is trackable with streaks issued for an uninterrupted sequence of learning.

Upon completion of each module, users are introduced to the assessment platform and a marketplace where successful users connect to apprenticeships jobs and, financial services.

In the future Nigeria, Musa, a non-English speaking remote farmer in the North, who uses a smart-feature phone, will need to understand e-commerce and how to optimize logistics and inventory levels using simple technology available on his device; Bisi, a middle-aged teacher in the South-West, whose salary is not more than $50 per month, uses a hand-me-down smart phone but has never gone online, and who wants to improve herself will need to attend webinars online, access and download content on her smart phone which can help her impact more knowledge effectively on her students; Ndidi, a street-smart mother of 3 in the South-East, who barely speaks English, struggles to make ends meet, and recently got a loan from a relative to set up a computer Business Centre, will need to go online to learn the basics of Microsoft Office.

If our case study personas, using the same qualifiers, decide to access the internet in today’s Nigeria, the challenges they will face online will not only be daunting but also discouraging. While all 3 will struggle with the initial knowledge of how to access the internet, peculiar problems amongst them exist. Musa, who uses a feature phone, albeit smart, will not have any available content optimized for the operating system of his device and thus will be forced to purchase a new and more advanced phone which he cannot afford. Musa and Ndidi, who barely speak English Language, will go online, become confused as they cannot understand the content available because they are not in localized languages, they give up and remain digitally unskilled. Finally, Bisi who already owns a smart device but only uses it to make and receive calls will find herself paying so much more for data due to heavy data consumption of her webinars.

It can therefore be deduced that while improving access to internet is essential, it is only the first leg involved in increasing digital inclusion. The right motivation, basic knowledge of the internet, the availability of content in localized languages, and the provision of affordable bespoke data plans all play a huge role in driving internet adoption. There exist some learning platforms in Nigeria which include courses on digital literacy and skills in their offerings, however, only one provides an end-to-end approach that tackles all the mobile adoption issues highlighted so far – LearnAM.

Aligning with SDGs 4 and 8, LearnAM also focuses on USAID Nigeria’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) Development Objectives (DO) 1 & 2 which sees to inclusive economic growth and better education outcomes of the population. This makes it an easy guess that the target market and primary foci for us are the young and growing population segment of Nigeria, 16 years and beyond, especially women living below the poverty line, who are simply looking to upskill to either move up the career ladder or enter entrepreneurship.  Whether the user completed secondary school education or dropped out, great lengths have been gone to ensure that this does not become a barrier. Thus, the modular content is easy to assimilate and understand.

While the pilot of LearnAM is yet to commence, ScholarX has partnered with the Lagos State Government - Nigeria's most populous state with about 15 million inhabitants - to deploy a digital skills training which will be deployed in a blended manner - classroom and online. This serves as a respite and basic foundation for which the deployment of LearnAM can be layered upon.

The goal of LearnAM is to reduce the barriers to entry associated with internet adoption and mobile inclusion especially for those living under the poverty line. We have partnered with a leading Mobile Network Operator in Nigeria, Airtel, to provide cheap bespoke data plans for Users which will be bundled into the low-interest device financing plan. All these together with the localized content available eg, financial literacy courses, make it easier for people and more enticing to want to get on the internet which align with MIT Solve challenge goals.

The LearnAM app is live on the KaiOS app store and has been tested by over 100 users. These users are spread across the country and provide feedback which is used to improve the app prior to pilot launch.

Currently, there are 8 courses available on the platform which border around around improving digital and vocational skills. We have partnered with a major content provider to include more courses in preparation for the pilot.

The results from the beta-testing have been successful so far with users successfully registering and being onboarded onto the platform. The video screen plays continuously without breaks and the assessment platform automatically pops up upon completion of each module.

ScholarX believes that digital education is a fundamental human right as it provides individuals with the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to tackle issues both at the micro and macro levels, and further contributes to a saner, developed, and sustainable society. However, tuition fees, flexibility, distance to classrooms, gender, amongst others remain the major barriers to access to quality education across Nigeria. While for those who may want to learn online, lack of access to the internet, cut-throat device and data prices, and unavailability of content in languages they understand are some of the barriers.

It is worthy to mention that most of the development for LearnAM was done using the $200,000 grant awarded to ScholarX by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion and work has been done to ensure that the playing field is levelled. We have a blended debt device finance partner, VFD Microfinance Bank, and an MNO partner, Airtel, who will provide bespoke low-rate data plans. The platform itself is affordable - employing a “freemium” model, gender unbiased, flexible, and convenient to use as users can learn both online and offline.

The assessment platform is developed to be interactive, engaging, and gamified. It rewards users who have successfully completed the course, taken tests, and have been issued a certificate with extra data and other freebies. 

Currently, in our Beta testing stage, we have over 100 test users, 8 available content in 4 languages. Please see sample content here.

In a year, we aim to have at least 100,000 users, 100 free content and 150 premium content with functional assessment and marketplace platforms.

In 5 years, we plan to have scaled to Sub-Saharan Africa with at least 2 million users, over 1000 content (both paid and free), all available in 15 indigenous African languages.

The gender bias associated with learning or education has been greatly reduced by LearnAM. The platform knows neither male nor female and provides equitable access to digital skills training for everyone.

The direct impact of this app has been seen in our test users as 80% of them have become curious, eager to learn more, aware of the opportunities around them that can lead to a more enjoyable life such as - healthcare options, work opportunities, vocational skills acquisition etc.

The aim of LearnAM is not just to provide digital skills for individuals but to promote opportunities for decent sustainable work amongst Nigerians who struggle with high unemployment rates. This is evident in 85% of users who have said that they feel they can get better jobs due to the courses they have taken on the platform.

Full time - 9

Part time - 1

Interns - 8

The ScholarX team is made up of diverse talents who are well experienced and passionate about democratizing access to education, impact creation, human capital, and youth skills development in Africa. Founded in 2016, we have an excellent track record of raising and managing funds which have been used to deploy projects in the education sector.

Prior to being awarded the $200,000 GSMA Innovation Fund, ScholarX has raised $100,000 pre-seed which was used to grow the brand and team whilst enabling us to have more access to education projects where we worked with both private and government agencies to grant access to quality skills and training to over 200,000 students in Nigeria.

Worthy of mention is one of our Advisors, Juila Moffet, who is focused on helping to accelerate the re-invention of education and learning in emerging markets through her Future of Learning Fund. She has worked with and invested in new models of education and learning in Africa and brings fresh and dynamic perspectives and tenacity to our team.

Bola Lawal who is the CEO and handles the overall strategy direction and growth of ScholarX. Bola is a leader in the Tech ecosystem and he is passionate about Human Capital

Development in Africa. Prior to starting ScholarX in 2016, Bola spent years working for Fortune 500 companies, delivering on software implementation
projects. Bola graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Accounting and he also obtained an Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania.

At ScholarX, we are very deliberate about gender equality and this is well reflected in our Board of Advisors and the core implementation team. For too long, women have been side-lined and are not given the same opportunities as their male counterparts especially in the education and work environments. Hence, we have created a sub program under LearnAM, called “Irawo” which means “Star” in Yoruba Language.

Irawo ensures that at least 50% of the financing generated from LearnAM via our debt investor, VFD, goes to women, especially women petty traders seeking to upskill.

Our board of Advisors is made up of 3 women of which 2 are people of color while our Co-Founder and COO, Damilola Emuze who was recognized as a leading female founder in global EdTech by HolonIQ.

The implementation team is made up of 3 women and recently, we launched an Internship Program which 5 out of the 8 participating interns are women. Upon completion of the program, the outstanding interns are offered full time roles within the company. This is our way of achieving the goal of gender parity within the workplace.

Apart from the fact that MIT Solve provides an immersive and hands-on experience for successful fellows, it is also exciting for us that we can receive monitoring and evaluation support that will help us build an impact framework.

More so, LearnAM, being a social impact project will be able to tap into the media and conference exposure of MIT. This is especially good for us as the more people know about the platform, the more people we are able to improve their lives by giving them access to digital training and skills which can give them better options in life.

Finally, we would love to be in a network of like-minded and forward-thinking peers who can offer constructive feedback, support and advice, and vice versa as we also like to add value wherever we go.

We believe that the potential for LearnAM is inexhaustible and more business development can still be done to explore other monetization angles. 

The distribution of product across African borders will also require legal and regulatory requirements which we know that MIT Solve, through its mentorship, coaching and strategic advice, can help us accelerate the process and avoid making naïve mistakes as we go along.

More so, ScholarX can leverage the in-kind software resources from MIT Solve as the cost of technology for LearnAM  forms a good chunk of the the financial barrier associated with scaling,

We would like to partner with curriculum designers and certificate accrediting bodies to ensure that the content on our platform and the issued certificate thereafter can compete globally.

It will also be great to partner with MIT to deliver digital skills and literacy courses to Nigerians, by extension Africans, on all our platforms - KaiOs, Android and Web

Being an audio-visual platform that tackles the issues of equitable mobile adoption and digital inclusion, LearnAM has the potential to scale across various communities to ensure that nobody is left behind regardless of the color of their skin or their disabilities.

Once people become aware of the opportunities online, the social impact that begins to happen is unmatched. The marginalized suddenly know their rights at home and at work, better health decisions can be made, and positive financial and economic outcomes can be seen,

LearnAM is a platform that is unbiased and provides world-class content on digital literacy and skills. The assessment marketplace ensures that what has been thought was retained and can be applied in real life scenarios.

The reduction of the significant divide between men and women’s access to internet, with men having about 40% more access, is a major step in bridging the inequality gap and lifting women out of background that society has subjected them to for centuries.

The economic and social benefits of empowering women remain unmatched. A study carried out in Indonesia shows that women who had just an additional year of education on digital inclusion were seen to have better social and financial decision-making skills, and better standards of living.

LearnAM, through Irawo, our women-centered platform, will ensure that women have more and better access to the internet while acquiring the the skills necessary to better their lives. 

More so, women who have successfully completed premium courses on the platform will receive 0% interest loans to start their new ventures.

This will see to a world where women are empowered by their devices, have financial autonomy, and can make life choices.