The establishment of the Nigerian National Commission for Nomadic Education in 1989 created wider opportunities for an estimated 9.3 million nomads living in Nigeria to acquire literacy skills. This commission was struck to address low literacy rates among pastoral nomads and migrant fishermen, which put literacy rates at 0.28 percent and 20 percent respectively (FME, 2005). To improve the literacy rate among Nigeria's nomadic populations, the National Commission for Nomadic Education employed various approaches such as onsite schools, 'shift system' schools with alternative intake, and Islamiyya (Islamic) schools, to provide literacy education to its nomads. A critical appraisal of these approaches by the commission, however, shows that very few of the schools were actually viable. This paper explores why these approaches have not notably helped to improve the literacy rate among Nigeria's nomadic people. Thus, there remains a need for alternative approaches to educational delivery. In face of the revolutionary trends taking place in information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Nigeria, there is now opportunity to embrace mobile learning using low cost mobile technologies (i.e., mobile phones) to enhance the literacy rates among Nigeria's nomadic people, some of whom are enrolled in Nigeria's current Nomadic Education Programme. Indeed, mobile telephones with simple text messaging features, for example, are prevalent in many parts of Nigeria. This paper explores the needs and advantages of integrating mobile learning into Nomadic Education programmes in Nigeria to ensure a successful implementation and achievement of the goals of the programme.

This article examines open-distance learning in Nigeria and the role it plays in personal, community, and national development. Following consultation with existing literature, a qualitative survey was conducted using questionnaires, interviews, and participatory experience. Although particular emphasis was paid to the Nigerian context, the findings in this article may be regarded as reflective distance education experiences elsewhere in Africa. Clearly, education is the key to human development and progress. It is essential to bring about changes in attitudes, values, and behaviour. Used ethically, distance education may enable people to make informed choices about their present life and future. Moreover, these assertions have been credited to many scholars and institutions at one time or the other. The question here, however, is: To what extent are these assertions true of education, and more especially of those individuals benefiting from open and distance learning in Nigeria? This and more incisive issues constitute the substance of this article.

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This article examines the promotion of literacy through information and communication technologies (ICTs) and through various modes of distance learning. After a general discussion of these approaches, the article focuses on efforts towards reducing illiteracy in Nigeria through integrated strategies for literacy delivery and especially through distance learning. After highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of these measures, the author makes some suggestions on how to maximize their effectiveness in helping Nigeria to achieve the targets of the Education for All agenda and the Millennium Development Goals. Re´sume´-ALPHABÉ TISATION ET TECHNOLOGIE DE COMMUNICATIONS: STRATÉ GIES DE L'É DUCATION À DISTANCE POUR LA DÉ LIVRANCE DE L'ALPHABÉ TISATION -Cet article examine la promotion de l'alphabe´tisation at ravers les technologies d'information et de communication (TIC) et a`travers des me´thodes varie´es d'enseignement a`distance. Apre`s une discussion ge´ne´rale de ces approches, l'article se concentre sur les efforts en vue de re´duire l'analphabe´tisme au Nige´ria a`travers des strate´gies inte´gre´es pour la de´livrance de l'alphabe´tisation et plus spe´cialement a`travers l'enseignement a`distance. Apre`s avoir mis en avant les points forts et les points faibles de ces mesures, l'auteur fait des suggestions quant a`la maximisation de leur effectivite´pour aider le Nige´ria a`accomplir les buts de l'Agenda de l'É ducation Pour Tous et les Objectifs du Mille´naire pour le De´veloppement.Zusammenfassung -ALPHABETISIERUNG UND KOMMUNIKATIONSTECH-NOLOGIE: STRATEGIEN FÜ R DEN FERNUNTERRICHT IN ALPHABETI-SIERUNGSKAMPAGNEN -Dieser Artikel bescha¨ftigt sich mit der Verwendung von Informations-und Kommunikationstechnologien (ICTs) und verschiedener Arten von Fernunterricht in der Alphabetisierungsfo¨rderung. Der Artikel diskutiert zuna¨chst diese Ansa¨tze im allgemeinen und konzentriert sich dann auf Maßnahmen zur Reduktion des Analphabetismus in Nigeria durch integrative Alphabetisierungsstrategien und besonders durch Fernunterricht. Der Autor wirft ein Schlaglicht auf die Sta¨rken und Schwa¨chen dieser Maßnahmen und gibt Empfehlungen zur Maximierung ihrer Effektivita¨t, damit Nigeria auf diese Weise in die Lage versetzt wird, die Ziele der Agenda 'Bildung fu¨r alle' sowie die Millenniumsentwicklungsziele erreichen zu ko¨nnen.Resumen -LECTOESCRITURA Y TECNOLOGI´AS DE LA COMMUNICACIÓ N: ESTRATEGIAS DE EDUCACIÓ N A DISTANCIA PARA PROVEER LA ALFA-BETIZACIÓ N -Este artı´culo examina la promocio´n de la lectoescritura a trave´s de las tecnologı´as de la informacio´n y la comunicacio´n (ICT) y a trave´s de diferentes modos de aprendizaje a distancia. Luego de un comentario general sobre estos enfoques, el artı´-culo se concentra en los esfuerzos realizados para reducir el analfabetismo en Nigeria a trave´s de estrategias integradas destinadas a proveer alfabetizacio´n, particularmente a