The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched a nationwide Artificial Intelligence capacity-building initiative aimed at training approximately 11,700 educators across Federal Unity Colleges. The initiative represents a strategic effort to integrate modern digital competencies into the secondary education system, modernizing classroom instruction and equipping students with skills necessary for a technology-driven global economy.
The formal rollout of the program commenced on Thursday in Abuja following the signing of the official Terms of Reference between the Federal Ministry of Education and technical partner ICEDT Consult Limited. Overseen by the Ministry's Education Support Services Department, the initiative aligns with the educational modernization objectives outlined under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Gabriel Amudipe, Director of the Education Support Services Department, characterized the program as a vital investment in the country's teaching workforce and long-term educational infrastructure. He noted that the decision to expand the initiative nationally followed a successful pilot phase across selected schools. Amudipe praised ICEDT Consult Limited for designing a structured implementation framework across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, emphasizing that high operational standards established during the pilot must be maintained throughout the full execution phase. He also instructed ministry monitoring teams to supervise implementation with strict adherence to quality assurance guidelines and professional standards.
Adding further context to the initiative, Deputy Director of the Education Support Services Department Oladele Fapohunda described the program as a targeted intervention to deepen technological integration across Federal Unity Colleges. He stressed that continuous inter-agency cooperation and stakeholder collaboration would be critical to achieving seamless execution across all participating institutions nationwide.
Dr. Abdulrahman Orosanya, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Learning Scientist at ICEDT Consult Limited, explained that the national expansion was approved after pilot testing in six Federal Unity Colleges representing each geopolitical zone demonstrated tangible benefits. According to Orosanya, the pilot showed that artificial intelligence tools could significantly improve lesson planning efficiency, enhance classroom delivery, refine student assessment methodologies, and boost overall teacher productivity.
The ceremony concluded with the formal signing of operational documents, clearing the way for immediate implementation activities across the country. Beyond direct training for secondary school teachers, the program is designed to reach thousands of students nationwide through enhanced instructional delivery, interactive learning environments, and the responsible deployment of emerging technologies in the classroom.
