By Oluwole Alao
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has applauded the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for unveiling a National Diploma (ND) curriculum in Artificial Intelligence (AI), describing the initiative as a landmark step towards preparing Nigerian youths for the opportunities of the digital economy.
Speaking at the official launch of the AI curriculum for Nigerian polytechnics at the NBTE’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, the DG, who was represented by Mr Yakubu Musa, said the introduction of AI into technical education signifies more than the addition of another academic programme, but the beginning of a new era in the country’s educational and technological development.
“This is not merely the introduction of another subject into our curriculum. It is the beginning of a new chapter in the evolution of technical education in Nigeria,” he noted.
Inuwa stated that Artificial Intelligence, alongside other emerging technologies such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, robotics, data science, the Internet of Things and intelligent automation, is rapidly transforming industries across the world. He stressed that Nigeria must proactively equip its young people with the skills required to compete globally and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Emphasising the need for an inclusive approach to AI education, the NITDA boss urged tertiary institutions to integrate Artificial Intelligence beyond computer science programmes to ensure graduates across various disciplines are adequately prepared for the future of work.
“Artificial Intelligence education should not be restricted to computer science students alone. AI is becoming as fundamental as digital literacy,” he averred.
The DG further called for continuous curriculum reviews to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology and advocated stronger partnerships between academia and industry to bridge existing skills gaps. According to him, technology companies, manufacturers, financial institutions, startups and professional bodies should actively participate in curriculum development, mentorship, internships and innovation programmes to produce graduates who are industry-ready from day one.
Highlighting NITDA’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s digital talent pipeline, Inuwa referenced the Agency’s Idea2Impact initiative, which equips National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members with digital and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to build innovative solutions and technology-driven businesses. He expressed confidence that exposing students to these opportunities much earlier in their academic journey would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
He reaffirmed NITDA’s readiness to work closely with NBTE and other stakeholders in advancing technology-driven education across the country.
“We will continue to support capacity building for lecturers, facilitate partnerships with technology companies, encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, promote digital skills development, and help bridge the gap between academia and industry,” Inuwa stated.
While concluding by urging stakeholders to seize the opportunity presented by the new curriculum to position Nigeria as a leading producer of globally competitive technology talent, he said, “Let history remember this launch not simply as the day Artificial Intelligence entered our polytechnics. Let it be remembered as the day Nigeria boldly decided to prepare its young people for the opportunities of the future.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, explained that the National Diploma curriculum in Artificial Intelligence was developed in response to the growing global demand for AI skills and the need to provide stronger foundational knowledge for students pursuing careers in emerging technologies.
According to Bugaje, although the Board had previously introduced a Higher National Diploma (HND) programme in Artificial Intelligence, experience showed that students required more specialised AI training at the National Diploma level.
He also revealed that NBTE has fully digitalised its accreditation, quality assurance and resource inspection processes, adding that Artificial Intelligence has already reduced curriculum development costs by about 50 per cent by generating initial curriculum drafts and supporting the development of digital courseware for distance learning.
Encouraging Nigerians to embrace AI as an indispensable tool for improving productivity, Bugaje disclosed that “Several countries have expressed interest in partnering with NBTE to recruit Nigerian AI graduates to address global skills shortages”.