Make AI compulsory course in higher institutions, AAUA Scholar, Olatunji tells govt

A Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Sunday Olatunji, has called for Artificial Intelligence to be made a compulsory course for all students in Nigerian higher institutions, regardless of their field of study.

Olatunji also urged Nigeria and Africa to pursue an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future that leverages artificial intelligence to enhance human capacity and national development.

The professor made the call on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University at the University Multipurpose Hall. The lecture was titled “Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.”

According to him, achieving meaningful progress in artificial intelligence requires deliberate actions, including institutionalising capacity building for AI excellence, developing functional policy and ethical frameworks, strengthening AI literacy and workforce development, promoting public-private-academic partnerships, and building inclusive and culturally grounded AI systems.

He also advocated making AI a General Studies (GST) course in all tertiary institutions, promoting no-code AI and machine learning pathways for beginners, and aligning AI research with national priorities.

Olatunji, who was ranked Nigeria’s leading AI researcher in 2025 by the National Universities Commission (NUC), said artificial intelligence has moved beyond theory into everyday reality.

“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.

He called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in tertiary institutions and research centres, recruit and train specialised faculty, promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, and provide national research grants focused on solving local challenges through AI.

Addressing concerns about artificial intelligence replacing humans, Olatunji said such fears were misplaced.

“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,” he said.

He added, “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.”

The don emphasised that the real measure of progress lies in preserving uniquely human values such as judgement, ethics, empathy, creativity and purpose, while guiding the development and deployment of AI responsibly.

He further called for the development of a comprehensive national AI policy, the establishment of AI ethics committees, and clear frameworks for accountability, transparency, data protection and fairness, aligned with global best practices and African values.

Olatunji also noted the importance of developing AI systems in local languages, prioritising rural inclusion, preventing algorithmic bias, and ensuring that artificial intelligence reflects cultural values, social norms and indigenous knowledge.

He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among universities, industry, government institutions and international bodies, advocating industry-funded AI research, support for AI start-ups and incubators, and clear pathways for commercialising academic research.

“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,” he said.

Introducing the lecturer, the Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Olugbenga Ige, described Olatunji as a widely respected scholar and a global authority in computing and artificial intelligence.

He commended the professor for his role in establishing the Faculty of Computing at AAUA and for his contributions to research, innovation and academic leadership, noting that the university is proud to count him among its faculty.