By Nkechi Eze
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has urged Nigerian universities to take the lead in driving the country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution, describing the technology as a critical force shaping global education and future competitiveness.
In an official statement signed by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, General Nafiu delivered the charge while presenting a lecture at the 23rd Convocation Ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada. He warned that Nigeria must make a deliberate choice either to steer the AI revolution or risk being outpaced by the rapid global shift toward intelligent technologies.
The NYSC DG highlighted the strategic advantage posed by Nigeria’s youthful population, 60 percent of whom are below 25 years, arguing that with the right investment in AI literacy and academic reform, the demographic could become a powerful national asset. Citing projections, he noted that Nigeria’s AI market was capable of expanding by 27 percent annually and contributing as much as $15 billion to the national GDP by 2030.
General Nafiu referenced groundbreaking learning experiments and AI-powered teaching tools that have produced remarkable student outcomes around the world, including innovations being recorded within Edo State. These successes, he said, demonstrated that AI could significantly enhance teaching quality, widen educational access, and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The DG outlined strategic potentials of AI for higher institutions, including personalized learning systems, accelerated research output, improved access to quality instruction, and more efficient campus administration. He maintained that Nigerian universities must not remain passive consumers of imported AI solutions, but should instead emerge as creators of Africa-focused innovations.
“We must focus on AI solutions that address our unique challenges, such as predictive models for agriculture, diagnostic systems for local diseases, and educational platforms tailored to our multilingual, infrastructure-limited context,” he stated.
General Nafiu affirmed that the NYSC was well positioned to contribute to this national shift. With nearly 400,000 Corps members deployed annually, he explained that the Scheme could play a decisive role by promoting digital literacy and preparing communities both urban and rural to participate in the AI-driven future. Under this vision, Corps members could serve as national AI literacy ambassadors.
However, he identified several challenges that must be confronted, including infrastructural gaps, the threat of digital colonialism, shortages of AI-trained academic staff, ethical concerns and inadequate funding. He stressed the need for universities to develop ethical guidelines for AI deployment and to put in place policies that safeguard academic integrity.
To accelerate progress, the DG recommended five strategic actions: strengthening innovation infrastructure, undertaking a comprehensive curriculum overhaul, building the capacity of lecturers, establishing strong governance frameworks and ensuring equitable access to AI tools across campuses.
General Nafiu congratulated the graduands and urged them to embrace the digital future with discipline and responsibility. “AI has already transformed your world; your task is to lead the transformation that comes next,” he told them.
