A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study.
He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.
To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalise capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.
Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall. The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.
He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course. This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others, he said.
The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.
Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it. Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations. It writes, learns, reasons, and sometimes surprises us with creativity we did not expect. Yet, its true power does not lie in replacing human intelligence but in amplifying it extending what our minds can imagine, decide, and accomplish.
AI in governance and in the workplace is not about replacing human leaders but augmenting institutional intelligence. It offers tools to reduce corruption through transparency, to improve welfare delivery through predictive targeting, and to enhance policy design through data-driven insight.
He added, The true measure of progress is not how much work we transfer to machines, but how much meaning we preserve in what remains uniquely human: judgement, ethics, empathy, creativity, and purpose. AI is defining our time. We must move from anxiety to agency no longer fearing AIs rise but learning to guide it and move from spectatorship to symbiosis by no longer watching innovations happen elsewhere but co-creating them as partners in progress.
He also stated, To ensure safe, equitable, and culturally aligned AI deployment, there is a need to develop a comprehensive national AI policy and strategy, establish national and institutional AI ethics committees, create policies for AI accountability, transparency, data protection, and fairness, and align governance with global best practices while respecting African values and contexts.
The multi-award-winning researcher, who is also the Dean of Computing at AAUA, further stated that it is possible to develop AI in Nigerias local languages to reflect national identity and promote equitable development. He added that we should prioritise rural empowerment and digital inclusion, prevent algorithmic bias, regional inequality, and the exclusion of minority groups, and ensure that AI systems respect cultural values, social norms, and indigenous knowledge systems.
Prof. Olatunji, who has had extensive teaching and research stints in several countries including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Nigeria, stressed the need to strengthen collaborations among universities, industry, government, ICT parastatals, and international bodies. He added that there should be promotion of industry-funded AI research aligned with national priorities, support for AI start-ups and incubators, and facilitation of commercialisation pathways for academic research outcomes, to accelerate innovation and ensure real-world impact.
Speaking further, he said, To position Nigeria and Africa as global contributors rather than perpetual consumers, we must develop indigenous AI technologies tailored to local datasets and realities; establish national data repositories, open-source platforms, and sovereign cloud infrastructure. We must also create incentives for patents, start-ups, AI products, and intellectual property from African innovators; as well as foster continental collaborations under the AU, ECOWAS, and African AI consortia.
Introducing the lecturer, the Chairman of the event and Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Professor Olugbenga Ige, said the institution is proud to have an academic of Prof. Olatunjis standing on its staff. He described the lecturer as a widely acclaimed researcher who is much sought after across the globe.
He listed the many awards and accolades Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeomans job as its founding Dean. The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.