From Reform to Reality: Assessing Teacher and Institutional Readiness for Cybersecurity, AI, and Programming in Nigeria’s 2025/2026 Digital Curriculum

In July 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced digital technology (cybersecurity, Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, data analytics, and databases) into the national junior and secondary school curriculum commencing september. This study examines teacher readiness and institutional capacity for implementing this reform in Taraba State, one of the least developed regions according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and institutional theory, the study employed a cross-sectional mixed-methods design. A total of 443 questionnaires were distributed across 287 pre-service teachers, 54 lecturers, and 102 in-service secondary school teachers, with 387 valid responses retained for analysis. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the model explained 58% of the variance in teacher competence. Institutional support had the strongest effect on teacher competence (β = 0.47, p < 0.01), with infrastructure adequacy partially mediating this relationship (β = 0.32, p < 0.05). Digital pedagogical readiness (TPACK-related competence) also contributed significantly (β = 0.29, p < 0.05). The Infrastructure Adequacy Index (IAI) averaged 0.31, with electricity reliability (0.28) and internet connectivity (0.22) emerging as the weakest components. Thematic analysis of 15 interviews with administrators and policymakers reinforced these findings, highlighting systemic training gaps, infrastructural deficiencies, policy–practice misalignments, and sustainability concerns. The study concludes that while Nigeria’s curriculum reform is progressive, teacher competence and infrastructural readiness remain critically underdeveloped. It recommends targeted capacity building in colleges of education, sustained institutional support, and urgent investment in digital infrastructure to bridge the gap between policy and classroom practice.