Recently, the UAE government announced a bold policy stating that every child in public schools from Grade 5 will receive a free laptop. For them, it is  more than just a shiny gadget, it is a bridge into the digital future. Students will log into lessons, practice coding and even collaborate on projects with their mates in other countries. Parents get guidelines on how to handle their children's usage, because the laptops are strictly for learning, not TikTok challenges. 

Imagine all these happening in Nigeria.

Picture Halima, a JSS 2 student in Kano. She loves mathematics but often borrows her uncle’s old Android phone to watch YouTube tutorials. If she had her own laptop, the possibilities would be endless. She could learn coding, join virtual competitions and dream bigger than her classroom walls allow. But then reality sets in: what are the chances of Halima owning a laptop? Even if she miraculously own one, how'd she get to power it with the epileptic power supply in Nigeria? 

Or think about Femi, a university student in Ogun State, who spends hours at a cyber cafe typing assignments. A government issued laptop could save him money and stress. Yet, if he owns one, without affordable data, his laptop might be reduced to just an expensive typing machine.

The UAE’s decision forces us to ask tough questions: what does access to digital learning mean in a country where electricity is unstable and internet bundles can eat half a parent's salary? Would giving out free laptops in Nigeria transform education or simply highlight the gaps we already know too well?

One thing is clear: technology can level the playing field but only if the ground is ready. For Nigerian students, the dream of laptops for all remains alive. What we need is not just devices, but the infrastructure to make them useful.