After three years in operation, Nigerian education technology startup Edukoya has ended operations, saying poor infrastructure and economic challenges made it impossible to scale.

The startup which secured Africa’s largest pre-seed funding of $3.5 million in 2021, said it will return capital to investors rather than persist in what it described as an unsustainable market environment.

In a statement on Wednesday , the startup said despite its early success, it faced fundamental adoption challenges, including limited internet penetration, high device costs, and declining disposable incomes that undermined its target audience’s ability to pay for digital education services.

Unveiled to revolutionise digital learning for K-12 (primary and secondary) students, Edukoya rapidly gained traction, onboarding over 80,000 students, facilitating millions of practice questions, and conducting thousands of live tutoring sessions.

After exploring strategic alternatives, including partnerships, mergers, and business model pivots, Edukoya found no viable path forward.

Part of the statement read, “Having explored various strategies to sustain operations—including partnerships, mergers, and business model shifts—without success, we’ve made the difficult decision to shut down and return capital to investors rather than exhaust resources in an unsupportive market.

“This strategic shutdown—though counterintuitive in a startup culture that emphasizes persistence at all costs—creates better outcomes for everyone: our investors can redeploy capital, our team can transition with dignity, and we preserve our vision’s integrity instead of compromising to survive.”

Edukoya’s shutdown highlights the broader struggles of Africa’s edtech sector, where startups face difficulties balancing innovation with the realities of infrastructure gaps and affordability constraints.

While digital learning remains a high-potential market, achieving large-scale adoption continues to be an uphill battle.

Edukoya expressed gratitude to its team, parents, students, and investors, stating that while its journey is ending, the insights gained could help pave the way for future innovations in African edtech—when the market is ready to support them.

Rahman Oshodi, a judge at the Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, has rejected the request to step down from the ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Emefiele is facing 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt demands, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

During Monday’s court proceedings, Olalekan Ojo, counsel for Godwin Emefiele, orally requested that Justice Rahman Oshodi recuse himself from the trial. This request followed a dispute that arose while the seventh prosecution witness, John Adetola, was testifying.

Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC’s counsel, was leading Adetola’s testimony and referenced an earlier statement in which Adetola claimed he received a bribe from John Ayoh and delivered it to Emefiele at his office. Oyedepo then asked Adetola to verify a WhatsApp message from Eric Odoh, which had been extracted from his phone by EFCC investigators.

Ojo objected, arguing that the document was only for identification and had not yet been formally accepted as an exhibit. The defense contended that the witness should not read or comment on the document at that point.

The court overruled the objection, citing section 224 of the Evidence Act, which allows for leading questions on introductory or undisputed matters.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the defense declined to cross-examine the witness and instead filed a motion for the judge to recuse himself from the case.

On Wednesday, Justice Oshodi delivered his ruling, stating that after reviewing the arguments and legal authorities presented, the request lacked merit and was therefore dismissed.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate deployment of the Intelligence Response Team to ensure the safe rescue of Prince Eniola Ojajuni, the Afenifere Youth Leader, who was kidnapped on February 17, 2025, while traveling to Abuja.

The IGP has directed the team to make Ojajuni’s safe recovery a top priority.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, reassured the public of the police’s commitment to securing Ojajuni’s release, emphasizing that all necessary resources and expertise will be utilized.

“The IGP commends the bravery and swift action of the officers who have shown their dedication to ensuring the safety of citizens. In the same vein, the IGP has ordered the immediate deployment of the FID Intelligence Response Team to focus on the safe rescue of Prince Eniola Ojajuni, the Afenifere Youth Leader, who was abducted on February 17, 2025, while en route to Abuja,” Adejobi stated.

“The NPF is fully committed to Prince Ojajuni’s safe return and is deploying all required resources and expertise to accomplish this goal.”

Adejobi also urged Nigerians to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media regarding the incident.

“The police urge the public to exercise caution and avoid engaging in social media speculation or disseminating unverified details about the ongoing rescue efforts. Such actions could jeopardize the operation and put the victim’s safety at risk.”

He further emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force will continue to actively target and dismantle criminal elements within communities, with the ultimate aim of ensuring peace and security.