Expert Calls for Immediate Integration of AI into Nigeria’s School Curricula.

Abel Aboh, a data and AI expert, has urged the Nigerian government to introduce artificial intelligence education into the school curriculum starting from the nursery level.

In an interview with Channels Television, Aboh who serves as a Data Manager, AI leader, and board member at The Data Lab in Scotland—stressed the need for Nigeria to equip its youth not just to use AI tools, but to create and innovate with them.

“We must begin in the early years—nursery and primary school,” he said, pointing out that countries like China have already taken this step.

He emphasized that early exposure to digital and AI skills is now a necessity, not a choice.

Aboh warned that schools without internet or computers are no longer fit for the modern world.

He argued that artificial intelligence must be made a core part of education, not a supplementary subject. While praising recent efforts to train around 3 million Nigerians in tech, he said it’s not enough for a nation with a large youth population. “Three million is good, but we should be aiming to reach at least 10 million young Nigerians,” he said.

He called for AI education to be rolled out in all levels of schooling primary, secondary, and higher institutions highlighting the importance of teaching students not just how to code, but how to design and develop AI tools themselves.

Addressing concerns about prioritizing tech in a country battling poverty, Aboh argued that AI can help solve these issues by enabling job creation and fostering innovation. “People are hungry because they are not economically active. AI can help them generate income and improve their livelihoods,” he said.

He also criticized the delay in implementing Nigeria’s national AI strategy, which remains in draft form, and called for swift passage of the Digital Economy Bill. Aboh concluded by urging the government to provide clear policy direction and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.