An advocacy group, AI for Educators Initiative, has urged the Federal Government to develop a comprehensive national policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be included in the school curriculum, particularly at the basic education level.
The group made this call during a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, in her office in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the group, the proper integration of AI into the curriculum, especially with the backing of a policy, would mark a significant development for Nigeria’s educational sector, as AI is rapidly becoming a major tool for the future in workplaces worldwide.
The team lead, Adanma Odefa, in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune, emphasized that their visit to the minister underscored the urgent need to integrate cutting-edge AI tools into classrooms, particularly at the nursery and primary school levels. This move, she said, would lay the foundation for a forward-thinking, technology-driven education system in Nigeria.
She noted that the AI for Educators Initiative team is driving this vision through a project funded by the United States government via the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF). The project has already made significant impacts in Kebbi and Ebonyi states.
“We have successfully trained over 200 teachers on leveraging AI to enhance lesson delivery, personalize learning, and improve student outcomes in these two states, with plans to extend the training to others,” Odefa stated.
She added that a key highlight of the project was a recent webinar featuring Dr. Anne Cook, a distinguished professor from the University of Utah, USA, who introduced participants to global best practices in AI-driven teaching methodologies.
Sharing the team’s vision to scale the initiative across other states and the Federal Capital Territory, Odefa emphasized the importance of government leadership in institutionalizing AI in education.
According to her, many teachers trained by the team have shared testimonies of how the training has boosted their confidence in classroom engagements with students.
“Our work demonstrates that AI can transform not just classrooms but the entire education system. This underscores the need for a coherent national policy that makes AI accessible to every teacher and student across Nigeria,” she added.
Odefa’s team also urged the minister to use this initiative as an opportunity to explore collaborations with the US Mission in Nigeria, international organizations such as UNESCO and UNICEF, private-sector stakeholders, and donor agencies to scale up the project’s impact.
She assured the minister of the team’s readiness to collaborate with the government wherever possible.
In her response, the minister expressed appreciation to the team for their visit and the achievements of their project, reaffirming the government’s commitment to leveraging technology for educational advancement.
While acknowledging the need for a strategic framework to guide AI adoption in schools, the minister praised the initiative for addressing a critical gap in Nigeria’s education landscape.
“AI represents the future of education, and Nigeria must not be left behind,” the minister stated, adding that the group’s initiative aligns with the country’s national priorities, and the government is committed to exploring avenues to support its expansion.
By integrating AI into Nigeria’s classrooms, the project aims to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among students, preparing them for the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.
The visit, led by a team of multiple award-winning educators, marks a critical step in redefining Nigeria’s education system through the use of AI.
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