Abuja: The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has unveiled a new National Diploma (ND) curriculum in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for polytechnics. The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stated during the unveiling in Abuja that the curriculum was developed in response to the growing global demand for AI skills and emerging technologies. The curriculum is aimed at equipping Nigerian graduates with cutting-edge digital skills for the future workforce.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Bugaje explained that the board had previously introduced a Higher National Diploma (HND) in AI but found that students entering the programme required a stronger foundational knowledge. This led to the development of a standalone ND curriculum in AI. Bugaje noted that only about 20% of what students studied in HND Computer Science was relevant to HND AI, prompting the creation of a comprehensive AI curriculum at the national diploma level. He expressed optimism that the new curriculum would produce highly skilled technicians and technologists capable of meeting the needs of industries.
Bugaje also announced that lecturers from institutions intending to offer the programme would undergo compulsory five-day training in Abuja and Lagos. The training will expose lecturers to new AI concepts and technologies not covered in conventional computer science programmes. The NBTE has fully digitalised its regulatory activities, including accreditation, resource inspection, and quality assurance processes, as part of its technology-driven reform agenda.
Additionally, Bugaje disclosed that the board had reduced the cost of curriculum development by about 50% through the deployment of AI tools, which generated the zero draft of the latest curriculum and are also being used to produce digital courseware for distance learning programmes. He highlighted the increasing importance of AI, urging Nigerians to embrace it to simplify work processes and improve productivity.
Several countries have approached NBTE to establish partnerships for deploying Nigerian AI graduates to address skill shortages abroad. The board is implementing the Nigerian Youth Skills Empowerment Programme, providing further training and employment opportunities for ND holders in electrical engineering in Denmark and Poland, with discussions ongoing for a similar arrangement for AI graduates.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, commended NBTE for the new curriculum. Represented by Senior Manager Yakubu Musa, Abdullahi described the initiative as a major step toward preparing Nigerian students for the digital economy. He recommended integrating AI education across disciplines and called for continuous curriculum reviews and stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
The first PhD holder in AI, Amina Magaji, highlighted the importance of continuous learning and ethical application of AI. Magaji, involved in developing a digital literacy framework adopted in the education sector, emphasized the need for inclusive AI education to ensure that all Nigerians benefit from digital transformation.
Magaji also shared her journey in AI, recounting her decision to focus on innovation rather than politics after returning to Nigeria. Through partnerships with NITDA and a World Bank-supported project, she helped develop and facilitate master’s and doctoral programmes in AI. Concerns over government bureaucracy inspired her to establish a non-profit foundation promoting AI literacy and digital inclusion across Nigeria, aiming to make AI knowledge accessible to all, including women, rural communities, and persons with disabilities.