The Future of Higher Education in Africa: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence

The African School of Economics (ASE) successfully hosted its maiden public lecture on “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Higher Education in Africa”. This landmark event marked a significant milestone in ASE’s commitment to fostering innovative discussions and solutions for Africa’s development.

The event brought together distinguished guests, including Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, who delivered the keynote lecture. Other notable attendees included the Vice Chancellor of ASE, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji; Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Olalekan Babatunde, representative of the Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution; Mustapha Sheikh Abdullahi, Registrar, AFRICAN AVIATION & AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY; Barr. Mrs Ugonna Uzor kalu, Director, Dikrisa International School Gudu Abuja; Dr Tsebee Michael, a representative from the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities; Mrs Emi-Fowowe Ogunboye, Registrar, ASE Nigeria; Dr Mrs anthonia ejikeme, University Librarian, ASE Nigeria; and many other esteemed guests.

In his keynote lecture, Prof. Adeyanju emphasised the potential of AI in addressing Africa’s education challenges, particularly in the face of a booming population. He highlighted Nigeria’s national vision for AI, which focuses on human-centred design, and shared efforts by Nigerian universities to foster AI research.

He further addressed some concerns within the AI sphere which include privacy concerns, algorithm bias, and a digital divide. His suggested strategies for implementing AI in Africa’s education included:
Developing culturally grounded ethical frameworks
Championing inclusive stakeholder engagement
Leveraging Low-Cost and Scalable Technologies
Adequately financing Africa’s education ambition
Policy Reforms, and many more.

The lecture sparked a lively Q&A session, with participants eager to explore the possibilities and challenges of AI in education. Key takeaways included the need to bridge the digital divide with strategic initiatives and strategies to address concerns around privacy, algorithm bias, and digital divides.

The event was a resounding success, with participants praising the insightful discussion and the opportunity to engage with experts in the field. We’re grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our guests and look forward to hosting more thought-provoking events in the future.