Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transcended the realm of speculative fiction to become the primary engine of the contemporary global economy. According to the 2025 United Nations Trade and Development report, the AI sector is poised for an unprecedented surge, projected to escalate from a valuation of $189 billion in 2023 to a staggering $4.8 trillion by 2033. Yet, despite this twenty-five-fold expansion, the dividends of AI remain disproportionately concentrated within a select few developed economies.
In a strategic move to bridge this widening digital divide, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) has taken a visionary leap forward. Under the stewardship of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, the institution has announced the establishment of its dedicated Centre for Artificial Intelligence. This milestone not only aligns IAUE with global technological trajectories but also characterises it as the first public university in Nigeria’s South-South region to institutionalise such a facility.
A Roadmap for Innovation (2025–2030)
The Centre’s coordinator, Dr Kingsley Igulu, recently unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic roadmap designed to transform the university into a premier “5IR-ready” (Fifth Industrial Revolution) hub. The roadmap outlines a multi-dimensional mandate:
- Cutting-edge Research: Prioritising research orientated towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Specialised Pedagogy: Delivering high-level training in Python programming, Data Science, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and Robotics.
- Collaborative Governance: Partnering with industry leaders and government agencies to solve local and global challenges through AI.
- Ethical Advocacy: Promoting the responsible and equitable deployment of technology.
Beyond short-term certifications, the Centre is designed to evolve into an academic powerhouse, eventually offering industry-blended MSc and PhD programmes in AI and various interdisciplinary fields.
Beyond Silicon and Software: A Strategic Ecosystem
An AI centre in a modern university setting is far more than a laboratory; it is a vital ecosystem. For the students of IAUE, the relevance is immediate. AI literacy is no longer the exclusive domain of computer scientists; it is now a fundamental requirement for educationists, journalists, healthcare professionals, and creative artists. By engaging in “hands-on” modelling and data analytics rather than purely theoretical instruction, IAUE graduates will enter the global labour market with a significant competitive edge.
For the faculty, the Centre serves as a crucible for interdisciplinary collaboration. It invites experts from the humanities, social sciences, and technology to examine the ethical and cultural implications of AI, ensuring that technological solutions remain locally relevant and socially responsible.
The vision extends well beyond the ivory tower. The Centre is positioned to function as an innovation and incubation hub, translating research into market-ready prototypes, from health diagnostic tools to smart governance and agricultural forecasting applications. By fostering entrepreneurship and digital literacy for the wider public, including civil servants and small business owners, IAUE is directly contributing to Nigeria’s national digital transformation agenda.
By establishing this Centre, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education has signalled its readiness to engage with the future of work. It is a bold affirmation that the institution is not merely a consumer of global innovation, but a sophisticated architect of the knowledge economy, preparing its community to lead, innovate, and flourish in an AI-driven world.
