The Federal Government has announced plans to integrate digital skills and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and cybersecurity, into university curricula to prepare Nigerian graduates for the global job market.
This initiative was revealed during a meeting in Abuja between the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu. The discussion focused on accelerating the implementation of the Digital Literacy and Skills Curriculum in Nigerian universities, an idea first proposed in December 2024.
Inuwa emphasized the need for a modern education system that equips students with skills relevant to today’s workforce.
Inuwa stated, “With the rapid advancement of technology, digital skills have become a necessity for success in today’s workforce. This collaboration is a strategic move to equip Nigerian students with the competencies needed to thrive in a technology-driven world, enhancing job creation, entrepreneurship, and overall economic resilience.”
The new curriculum will include specialized training in AI, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and cybersecurity. This move aims to ensure that Nigerian graduates are not just degree holders but industry-ready professionals with in-demand digital skills.
Inuwa added, “We must review the school curriculum to embed digital literacy and skills, ensuring that our graduates are not just degree holders but are equipped with the necessary competencies to thrive in a technology-driven world. Education reform is critical, and implementing this curriculum across all universities will be a game-changer in our nation’s development.”
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The initiative is part of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, which underscores the importance of digital literacy in shaping the country’s economic future. It also aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goal of reforming the economy by driving industrialization, digitization, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation.
Inuwa stressed that empowering young Nigerians with digital knowledge would lead to economic transformation by fostering an innovative and entrepreneurial workforce.
Professor Ribadu reaffirmed the NUC’s commitment to fully implementing the Digital Literacy and Skills Curriculum. He praised NITDA for its leadership in Nigeria’s digital transformation and assured that the NUC would work closely with the agency to integrate the new curriculum into all universities.
Ribadu said, “Digital education is central to Nigeria’s vision of becoming a leading knowledge-based economy. We will ensure necessary policy adjustments to support this goal and foster innovation within the higher education sector.”