The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has appealed to Nigerian universities to champion the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, warning that the country risks falling behind if the technology is ignored.
Speaking at the 23rd Convocation Ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada, the NYSC boss said AI has already begun reshaping academic systems globally, and Nigeria must decide whether to guide its impact or be overtaken by it. He pointed to the country’s demographic advantage, noting that nearly 60% of Nigerians are under the age of 25—a resource that, if properly channelled, could fuel national progress.
General Nafiu referenced projections indicating that the AI sector in Nigeria could expand by up to 27% annually and generate as much as $15 billion in GDP by 2030. He cited global success stories of AI-based learning innovations, including documented cases within Edo State, which have produced remarkable improvements in student performance.
According to him, the evidence shows that AI can elevate teaching standards, widen educational access, and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He listed several promising areas of application in higher institutions, such as personalized learning platforms, improved research capacity, enhanced accessibility to quality instruction, and more efficient university administration.
The NYSC DG urged universities to evolve from passive users of foreign technology to creators of home-grown solutions tailored to Africa’s developmental needs. He stressed the importance of addressing real-world challenges, advocating for AI tools designed for agricultural forecasting, local disease diagnosis, and multilingual instruction suitable for communities with limited infrastructure.
Nafiu also revealed that the NYSC could play a role in developing digital competence nationwide, noting that the annual mobilization of nearly 400,000 Corps members presents an opportunity to promote AI literacy. Under this strategy, he explained, Corps members could be deployed as ambassadors of digital education in both urban and rural communities.
However, he warned of barriers that must be addressed, including weak digital infrastructure, risks of technological dependence, lack of qualified AI educators, ethical concerns, and funding limitations. He called for the development of ethical standards for AI use in academia and policies that safeguard the integrity of educational processes.
General Nafiu outlined five priority actions: upgrading infrastructure, modernizing curriculum, investing in lecturer training, strengthening leadership structures, and ensuring equitable access to AI technologies for students. He rounded off by congratulating graduating students and encouraging them to shape the digital future responsibly, noting, “Artificial Intelligence has already changed your environment; your responsibility is to guide the transformation that comes next.”