Professor Berth Nnaji, a former Minister of Power, has advocated the pulling of resources together by both the federal and state governments for the provision of computer systems for all public primary school teachers across the 774 local governments to entrench the teaching of Artificial Intelligence at the foundational education stage.
He made the call while delivering a paper entitled: “Show the Light, and the People Will Find the Way”, at a public lecture organised by the Independent Newspaper Limited to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Free Universal Primary Education in Nigeria which was held at the Expo Hall of Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, on Thursday October 9, 2025.
The guest lecturer, who lauded the launch of Free Universal Primary Education in Western Nigeria by the Chief Awolowo government on January 17, 1955, and subsequent launch by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Premier of Eastern Region and Sir Ahmadu Bello in the Northern region, said the period marked the most important development in Nigeria’s history, saying that it has become imperative to embrace
generative artificial intelligence in the education system, starting from primary school.
This, he emphasised, can be realised if resources are pulled together by the federal and state governments to provide each public school teacher with a computer.
He said: “In September 23, 2025, at the annual Fafunwa Memorial Lecture in honour of the foremost Nigerian educationist, Professor Babatunde Aliu Fafunwa, a former Minister of Education, I called attention to the imperative of embracing generative artificial intelligence in our education system, starting from primary school. But I wondered how our pupils could be taught AI when most rural community teachers are not yet computer literate.
“The President Obasanjo administration did a similar thing when the three tiers of government mobilised funds to provide each Divisional Police Office in the country with a Toyota Prado SUV to enhance security nationwide. I use this opportunity to repeat the call for a computer for every public-school teacher in Nigeria.”
Prof. Nnaji lauded the management of Independent Newspapers for commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Free Universal Primary Education in Nigeria, noting that this was a period of healthy competition among the component groups of the Nigerian federation.