The federal government has tasked Nigerian universities to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies into their operations, while improving governance, accountability and compliance with regulatory standards.
Key Highlights
- FG urges universities to integrate AI and digital technologies into their operations.
- Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, says AI use must be guided by clear policies on integrity, ethics and data protection.
- Vice-chancellors urged to uphold transparency in finance, procurement, recruitment, admissions and examinations.
- NUC developing a National AI Roadmap and Policy Framework for the university system.
- NUC launches ACE Alliance platform for Nigeria’s 20 African Centres of Excellence and deploys e-NUC.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, gave the charge on Tuesday, at the opening of the 2026 retreat organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and vice-chancellors of universities in Abuja.
Ahmad said the rapid changes taking place in global higher education, particularly in AI, digital learning, data analytics, research and funding, required Nigerian institutions to adapt their policies and practices to remain relevant and competitive.
She, however, stressed that the use of AI must be guided by clear policies addressing academic integrity, ethical considerations, data protection and responsible application.
The minister observed that emerging technologies and changing approaches to research, workforce development and graduate employability were reshaping university education worldwide.
She described the two-day retreat, scheduled for October 13 and 14 at the NUC headquarters in Abuja, as an important opportunity to address challenges confronting the Nigerian university system.
According to her, improving the sector requires sustained cooperation between the regulatory commission and university administrators, rather than relying solely on directives or individual institutional efforts.
The retreat with the theme: “Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Leadership, and Partnership in the Nigerian University System,” is expected to explore ways of improving institutional performance and strengthening collaboration.
Minister Urges Transparency From Vice-Chancellors
Ahmad said universities must expand their responsibilities beyond awarding degrees to driving research, innovation, character development, knowledge creation and industrial growth.
She noted that the quality of university education plays a significant role in determining the country’s human capital capacity, economic productivity and overall development.
The minister also urged vice-chancellors to uphold transparency in financial administration, procurement, staff recruitment and promotion, admissions and examinations.
She called on university leaders to establish clear institutional priorities, introduce measurable performance indicators and promote an environment that supports academic excellence.
Ahmad further encouraged regular engagement between the NUC and university managements to improve policy implementation, exchange ideas and develop collective responses to challenges in the sector.
She expressed optimism that the retreat would produce practical recommendations, with a proposed communiqué and post-retreat monitoring system expected to help track progress.
NUC Strengthens Regulation, Unveils Blueprint 2.0
Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said the commission is strengthening its regulatory and quality assurance processes to improve the standards and relevance of university education.
Ribadu disclosed that the commission has issued guidelines on the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees, with sanctions for institutions that breach the rules.
He also said the NUC has introduced post-matriculation monitoring and carrying-capacity visits to strengthen oversight of university admissions.
According to him, plans are underway to introduce post-accreditation monitoring visits to assess academic programmes after accreditation exercises.
Ribadu added that the NUC policy development strategy committee has completed a comprehensive review of the university system, resulting in Blueprint 2.0, a framework aimed at accelerating the revitalisation of higher education.
He said the commission is also preparing a 21st-century strategic plan and replacing the annual performance evaluation system with a performance monitoring system.
The NUC chief urged universities to improve strategic planning and ensure that research conducted by their academics translates into practical solutions to national challenges.
He emphasised the need for stronger partnerships among universities, government and industry to address issues in healthcare, agriculture, education, manufacturing, technology and environmental management.
As part of efforts to strengthen research collaboration, Ribadu announced the launch of the ACE Alliance platform, which brings together Nigeria’s 20 African Centres of Excellence to promote research and knowledge-sharing.
He added that a four-volume compendium documenting research outputs from the centres had been unveiled.
The executive secretary also disclosed that the Tertiary Education Research and Application Services platform of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had been integrated with the Nigerian Research and Education Network to facilitate research collaboration.
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National AI Roadmap In The Works
Ribadu revealed that the NUC was developing a National AI Roadmap and Policy Framework to guide the integration of artificial intelligence into the Nigerian university system.
He said the commission is also working to strengthen research commercialisation through a dedicated division and exploring opportunities for selected vice-chancellors to study commercialisation practices at universities in Europe and Asia.
On digitalisation, he announced that the NUC has deployed e-NUC, a platform designed to automate the commission’s workflow.
He added that accreditation software was being developed to improve transparency, data management and quality assurance across universities.
However, Ribadu cautioned that successful digital transformation depended not only on technology but also on institutional preparedness, effective policies, staff capacity and cybersecurity measures.
The retreat features vice-chancellors from federal, state and private universities, alongside education officials, university union representatives and other stakeholders, who are meeting to discuss measures for improving higher education in Nigeria.
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