The Federal Government has introduced specialised Higher National Diploma programmes in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, software engineering, and networking.
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
Assessing the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office, Bugaje said the move is a major stride toward aligning Nigeria’s education system with global technological trends.
According to him, the initiative is part of a broader plan to deepen the country’s engagement with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and equip young Nigerians with digital skills for the modern economy.
“We have unbundled the traditional HND programmes into more specific skill areas. This is already being implemented, and, under the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework, we are offering even more specialised training modules in these areas,” he said.
Bugaje explained that the expansion into AI and emerging technologies extends beyond academics, with digital tools now integrated into the governance of technical institutions. “For example, a digital accreditation platform powered by AI has been deployed to monitor compliance with academic standards, identify faculty duplications, and curb malpractices. If a lecturer appears on multiple polytechnic websites, the AI system will flag it. This will help us maintain integrity in the accreditation process,” he said.
Under the new system, institutions must upload detailed information about their facilities, equipment, and faculty onto a centralised digital platform. “With this, we no longer need to send teams physically for most accreditations. This saves cost, reduces risk, and curbs manipulation of the process,” Bugaje added.
He noted that institutions in remote areas without reliable internet access would be assessed by accredited vendors, who would submit reports to the NBTE for programme approval or rejection.
The digital accreditation process follows the Minimum National Academic Standards, which specify requirements for each National Diploma and HND programme, including facilities, faculty qualifications, and equipment. Bugaje said the initiative aims to make Nigerian polytechnics more globally competitive while leveraging technology to boost economic growth.
“Nigeria has no choice but to embed technology in education and economic development. This is how we can unlock growth and prosperity in the digital age,” he emphasised.
