Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has launched a national project to equip Nigerians with essential knowledge, safety awareness, and ethical understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI), in line with the Federal Government’s newly introduced curriculum for basic and senior secondary schools.
The initiative, tagged “AI Literacy for Everyday People,” was unveiled at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Hall in Osogbo, Osun State. It brought together education stakeholders, media professionals, civil society groups, and innovation partners to promote inclusive AI education across the country.
Speaking at the event, BBYDI’s Communications Director, Sanni Alausa Issa, described the project as a national effort to make AI “understandable, usable, safe, and ethical for all Nigerians, regardless of age, education, or location.”
He explained that the program aligns with the new skills-focused national curriculum and is built on four pillars: Understanding, Use, Safety, and Ethics to help Nigerians adopt AI responsibly and productively.
“The most powerful technology in the wrong hands can deepen inequality and fuel misinformation. Our mission is to ensure Nigerians understand what AI is, use it productively, apply it safely, and uphold ethics in its use,” Issa said.
The project will integrate AI literacy into school learning and reach wider audiences through radio drama in Yoruba, Pidgin, and Hausa across Osun and Kwara States. Other components include flashcards, storybooks, train-the-trainer programmes, a draft AI Blueprint for Nigeria, and an essay competition for tertiary students.
Issa revealed that experts recently validated the curriculum at a University of Ilorin workshop, adding that BBYDI’s approach combines policy advocacy, community engagement, and storytelling to reach Nigerians at all levels.
“A farmer in Kwara can learn about AI-assisted weather predictions in Yoruba, while a student in Osun can understand digital safety through flashcards,” he noted.
He reaffirmed BBYDI’s commitment to collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education and state agencies to turn policy into practice. He also called on the media to amplify stories of innovation and inclusion to strengthen public understanding of AI.
The initiative aims to reach 100,000 learners in its first year, including teachers, students, parents, and artisans, with plans to expand nationwide.
“The future of AI in Nigeria does not belong to machines. It belongs to our people, their ethics, creativity, and courage to use technology for good,” Issa added.
BBYDI expressed appreciation to the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation for supporting the project, which reinforces Nigeria’s growing commitment to digital inclusion and future-ready learning.
