A prominent data and AI expert, Abel Aboh, has urged the Nigerian government to embed artificial intelligence (AI) education into the national curriculum, starting from nursery level. Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, Aboh warned that Nigeria risks falling behind global standards if urgent steps are not taken to integrate digital and AI skills into early education.Aboh, a Data Manager, AI leader, and board member at The Data Lab in Scotland, stressed the need for Nigerian youths to not only consume AI technologies but also to build and innovate with them.
We need to start from the early years. Countries like China are already introducing AI and digital education at the nursery and primary school levels. Nigeria must catch up,” he stated.
He emphasized that digital literacy is now a necessity, not an option. Schools without internet access or computers, he argued, are no longer viable in the 21st century.
It’s not possible to run a school today without internet or computers. We have to make AI education a compulsory part of the curriculum, he added.
While commending initiatives such as the training of three million Nigerians in tech skills, Aboh said the effort is still insufficient given the size and youthfulness of Nigeria’s population.
We need to be targeting at least 10 million young Nigerians, not just three million, he said.
He advocated for the integration of AI into all levels of education including Nigeria’s approximately 200 universities and colleges, as well as primary and secondary schools. The curriculum, he said, should go beyond coding and data science to focus on developing and innovating AI tools.
Addressing concerns about poverty and unemployment, Aboh noted that AI could be a powerful tool for economic empowerment. When people are hungry, they need food but food comes from economic activity. AI can create jobs, generate income, and unlock innovation. We can’t just rely on farming; we must apply AI across all sectors, he explained.
Aboh also criticized the delay in finalizing Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, which remains in draft form.
“It’s not enough to have a draft strategy sitting on the shelf. We need to move that into action. Government must set the policy direction and enable quick implementation, he urged.
He further called for the swift passage of the Digital Economy Bill to support Nigeria’s technological growth and global relevance.
The government must act now policy, infrastructure, and education must align if we’re to secure Nigeria’s future in a digital world, Aboh concluded.
