The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has introduced a new National Diploma curriculum in Artificial Intelligence, marking a significant advancement in Nigeria’s technical education landscape.
Professor Idris Bugaje, Executive Secretary of NBTE, announced the development at a ceremony in Abuja, explaining that the curriculum addresses the escalating global demand for AI expertise and emerging technologies.
“The board introduced the Higher National Diploma in AI several years ago, but we discovered that graduates entering the programme required stronger foundational knowledge,” Professor Bugaje stated. “This informed the development of a standalone ND curriculum in AI.”
He revealed that only 20 per cent of content from the HND Computer Science programme proved relevant to HND AI studies, with the remainder comprising general knowledge. The new curriculum, alongside a revised HND programme currently under review, aims to rectify this gap.
Mandatory Lecturer Training
Institutions intending to offer the programme must ensure their lecturers complete compulsory five-day training sessions in Abuja and Lagos. The training will familiarise educators with contemporary AI concepts not covered in conventional computer science programmes.
Digital Transformation Initiatives
The NBTE has fully digitalised its regulatory activities, including accreditation, resource inspection, and quality assurance processes. The board has also leveraged AI tools to reduce curriculum development costs by approximately 50 per cent.
“AI generated the zero draft of our latest curriculum and is being used to produce digital courseware for distance learning programmes,” Professor Bugaje noted. “Artificial intelligence is no longer the future; it is already the tool of today.”
International Partnerships
Several countries have approached the NBTE to establish partnerships for deploying Nigerian AI graduates abroad. The board is already implementing the Nigerian Youth Skills Empowerment Programme, through which ND holders in electrical engineering receive training and employment opportunities in Denmark and Poland. Similar arrangements for AI graduates are under discussion with Denmark.
Stakeholder Support
Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, commended the initiative as a major step toward preparing Nigerian students for the digital economy. Represented by Senior Manager Yakubu Musa, he recommended integrating AI education across disciplines including engineering, agriculture, business, and architecture.
Dr Amina Magaji, Nigeria’s first PhD holder in Artificial Intelligence, emphasised the importance of continuous learning and ethical AI application. She recounted earning her doctorate over a decade ago when opportunities in the field were limited, noting that generative AI has since transformed global interest.
Dr Magaji established a non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting AI literacy and digital inclusion across Nigeria, targeting women, rural communities, and persons with disabilities. “No Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital transformation,” she asserted.
Professor Bugaje expressed optimism that the country would produce cutting-edge technicians and technologists in AI within the coming years, urging Nigerians to embrace AI as a tool that simplifies work processes and improves productivity across sectors.