As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) reshapes economies and job markets around the world, Nigeria risks being left behind if it fails to act with urgency. While global leaders invest heavily in robotics and emerging technologies, Nigeria’s education system remains largely unprepared to equip students with the skills needed for the future of work.

Experts warn that without a deliberate strategy to integrate robotics education, the country may miss a critical opportunity to harness its youthful population for technological innovation and economic growth. Olusola Ayoola, chief executive officer/founder of Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN), expressed worries that the education system in Nigeria lacks structures for robotics.

He emphasised that Nigeria must move away from the culture where people boast of being able to change motherboards, to a culture where they are able to remove the sensor and replace it. “I must say true robotics training teaches us how to build from scratch. So the future of robots is inextricably linked to the future of our robotics education.

The Provost of Harvarde College of Science and Management Studies, Obada, Abeokuta, Dr Oluwatosin Adebayo, has faulted the call for the extension of Nigeria Education Loan Fund to students of private institutions in the country.

Dr Adebayo argued that parents who send their children to private institutions in the country are not often poor and therefore, the need for education loans does not arise. Dr Adebayo has equally hailed the federal government for giving approval for polytechnic to run National Diploma in Law saying that it’s a big boost for the polytechnic education in the country.

He explained that rather than agitating for the extension of NELFUND to students of private institutions, the federal government should allow the private institutions to benefit from the Tertiary Education Fund for their infrastructural development.

The Federal Government, perhaps, came to terms with the reality that without a robust investment in technical and vocational education, it is wishful thinking to achieve accelerated development in a fast-paced world and be ranked in the comity of advanced nations.

Thus, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration launched a robust scheme to revitalise technical and vocational education across the country to equip the youth with practical skills that address unemployment and enhance economic growth.

It also approved a N120 billion grant to support the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme. Observers reckoned that developed countries of the world namely, China, United States of America, Germany and France, all prioritised technical and vocational training. Therefore, Nigeria is determined to follow suit.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged increased investment in human capital development, emphasizing its critical role in Nigeria’s progress amid a rapidly evolving global landscape. Akpabio made the appeal during a public hearing on Monday in Abuja, organized by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.

The bills under review include the Federal University of Education (Special), Oyo (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Health Sciences, Funtua, Katsina State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Geomatics, Oyo State (Establishment) Bill, 2025; Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos State (Establishment) Bill, 2025; and the Federal University of Technology, Omoku, Rivers State (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Represented by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau, Akpabio said Nigeria is at a “pivotal point” in its development trajectory and must strategically expand access to specialized and inclusive education to equip future generations.

The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has acknowledged the concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing. The concerns relate to the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage for primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement on Monday in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the minister called for dialogue, unity, and a swift resolution to the ongoing FCT teachers’ strike. He emphasised the vital role teachers play as the backbone of Nigeria’s foundational education system.

Alausa noted that the ministry had reviewed with concern the communiqué issued by the NUT FCT Wing following its Emergency State Wing Standing Committee (SWSC) meeting held on March 22, 2025, in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

As South Africa observes Youth Month, Singularity South Africa has announced that its 2025 Summit, set for 22–23 October at the Sandton Convention Centre, will focus on AI-powered education and the future of learning for Africa’s youth.

Held under the theme “Igniting Africa’s Future”, the event—presented with support from Old Mutual and metaverse partner UBU—aims to explore how exponential technologies like AI, robotics, and the metaverse can reshape education across the continent.

With nearly 60% of Africa’s population under 25, the summit will highlight scalable, inclusive, and locally relevant solutions—from AI tutors and adaptive learning platforms to data-informed policy-making. Robotics demonstrations and immersive learning experiences will showcase how tech can bridge skills gaps and create future-ready talent.

The government is to recruit 50,000 teachers and 10,000 non-teaching staff this year, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has told Parliament. He said the recruitment process would begin as soon as the Minister of Finance issued financial clearance. “We intend to recruit as many as 50,000 and 10,000 which was provided for in the 2025 budget statement of Finance Minister,” he said.

Responding to an urgent question on the floor of Parliament, Mr Iddrisu said “The Finance Minister said once the Auditor-General is done with the validation of some papers, he will give financial clearance to many other ministries to do some recruitment

“We will begin the process after the mid-year review of the 2025 budget,” he said. He disclosed this when he answered a question by the Member of Parliament for Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abrem, Samuel Atta-Mills, who asked why some teachers did not have staff ID numbers and had not been paid for several months.

Sterling Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to shaping Nigeria’s future workforce by announcing a significant expansion of its “Beyond Education” initiative. The bank is now offering paid internships and guaranteed job opportunities to select beneficiaries of its recently announced N2bn scholarship fund for 600 young Nigerians.

This strategic move, according to a statement from the bank on Saturday, builds upon the initial scholarship program, transforming it into a comprehensive talent development pipeline. The bank said that the initiative aims to equip graduates with practical, hands-on experience in vital sectors such as banking, technology, customer service, and risk management.

Sterling Bank Chief Executive Officer, Abubakar Suleiman, in the statement emphasised the bank’s driving philosophy, saying, “Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people, and our responsibility is to equip them to lead, innovate, and transform.

An educationist and co-owner of Leap for Joy Nursery and Primary Schools in Onike Yaba, Lagos, Oluremi Adesokan has called for collaboration with the government to address the infectious decay in the educational system.

Adesokan spoke at the bi-monthly PR Tea conference organised in Ikeja, Lagos by Hustle Africa, a strategic storytelling and creative agency involved in the digital revolution for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.

The industrial chemistry graduate of the University of Lagos noted that the government cannot address the issue of education alone because of the enormous human and infrastructural resources needed hence the need for collaboration.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for greater investment in education, describing it as the key to unlocking Nigeria’s human capital, fostering unity, and accelerating national development. “Education remains the most powerful weapon for human development. It empowers young people to become engineers, doctors, or whatever they aspire to be,” Atiku said.

Atiku made the call on Sunday at the Graduation and Prize-Giving ceremony of Pacesetters’ School, Abuja, where he stressed the need for a curriculum that not only imparts knowledge but also promotes entrepreneurship.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also reflected on his own life journey, attributing his success to the foundation laid by education. He urged the graduating students to stay focused as they pursue higher learning.

Two prominent Nigerian universities are gearing up to host intensive educational programs this July, aimed at equipping students and faculty with critical 21st-century skills to thrive in an increasingly digital economy. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) will conduct a five-day boot camp from July 21 to 25, followed by a similar program at Ekiti State University from July 28 through August 1.
'
These initiatives, coordinated by the UK-based nonprofit Professors Without Borders in collaboration with Nigerian academics, are themed: “Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability: Empowering Digital Transformation.”

Over 200 participants, including students and lecturers, will engage in hands-on training across topics such as African financial systems, artificial intelligence, social enterprise development, and modern research methods.

There is little doubt that South Africa’s science education system is in crisis. Despite significant post-apartheid investment, three decades of curriculum reform, and repeated calls for change, the results remain underwhelming.

Now, a new book from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) argues that, to achieve the classroom transformation needed, we must begin by changing how teachers are trained. If we want to change how science is taught, the authors suggest, we must start with those who prepare the teachers.

This focus is critical because, although official education and training policies promote 21st-century competencies, these ideals often fail to materialise in practice. The gap between the ‘intended’ and the ‘enacted’ curriculum remains wide.