The Federal Government (FG) has assigned the Nigerian Academy of Education a leading role in shaping national digital skills and education policy, but the Academy says the country must first overhaul teacher training, classroom methods and outdated education rules to prepare learners for an AI-driven economy.

The new mandate places the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE) at the centre of efforts to equip Nigerian students and future workers with digital competencies, artificial intelligence knowledge and skills needed in a technology-driven labour market.

Announcing the responsibility at the Academy’s 2026 Annual Congress in Abuja, its President, Emeritus Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, said Nigeria could not build a competitive economy with an education system still dependent on outdated teaching methods.

He called for a comprehensive review of the National Policy on Education, arguing that technological and economic changes had made substantial reforms necessary.

“The era of comfortable, incremental reforms is over,” Jegede declared.

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Teachers must be prepared before classrooms change

The Academy’s warning raises a fundamental question: how can schools teach artificial intelligence and digital skills when many teachers have not received adequate training to use these tools?

Jegede called for a restructuring of teacher education and professional development, with greater emphasis on digital learning, emerging technologies and modern instructional methods.

This is critical because providing computers, internet access and AI platforms does not automatically improve learning. Teachers must know how to use them to explain difficult subjects, assess students, identify inaccurate information and encourage independent thinking.

Schools also need safeguards against plagiarism, misinformation, inappropriate content and the misuse of students’ personal data.

Rural schools must not be left behind

The Academy also highlighted the danger of unequal access to technology. Students in well-equipped urban schools could gain advantages over their counterparts in rural communities if digital infrastructure and learning resources are concentrated in a few locations.

Jegede called for policies that guarantee equitable access, insisting that geographical location should not determine a child’s opportunity to acquire modern skills.

Achieving this would require reliable electricity, affordable internet, functional devices, trained teachers and maintenance funding. Without these essentials, digital education could deepen existing inequalities rather than reduce them.

The Academy also called for stronger enforcement of regulations governing the governing boards of educational institutions and government agencies, linking institutional accountability to the success of reforms.

From policy declarations to measurable results

The new responsibility gives the NAE an opportunity to influence national education priorities, but its impact will depend on how clearly the mandate is funded, implemented and monitored.

The Academy is expected to develop a national digital skills framework and provide intellectual guidance on integrating artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into education.

However, the government has yet to outline the specific budget, implementation timetable or measurable targets attached to the assignment in the announcement provided.

Jegede said the Academy should be judged by practical improvements in teaching, learning and human-capital development, rather than the number of policy recommendations it produces.

That standard is important. Nigeria needs an education system that prepares students not merely to use technology, but to think critically, solve problems and compete for employment in an economy increasingly shaped by digital innovation.

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