By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has urged Nigerian universities to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies while strengthening regulatory compliance, transparency and accountability to improve the quality and global competitiveness of higher education.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the 2026 retreat of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities.
Ahmad said the rapid transformation of higher education through artificial intelligence, digital learning, data analytics and changing research models required Nigerian universities to review their policies, teaching methods and administrative practices to remain relevant in an increasingly technology-driven world.
She, however, cautioned that the integration of AI into university education must be accompanied by appropriate safeguards to protect academic integrity, promote ethical practices and ensure responsible use of technology.
The minister said, “In modern times, university systems all over the world are greatly being influenced by artificial intelligence, digital learning, data analytics, virtual laboratories, online academic resources, quality assurance agencies’ review, changing funding models, innovation, research and development, workforce productivity, graduate employability, and international competitiveness, amongst others.”
She described the retreat, holding from October 13 to 14 at the NUC headquarters in Abuja, as an opportunity for university administrators and regulators to develop practical solutions to the challenges confronting the country’s higher education system.
According to her, improving university education requires more than isolated efforts by individual institutions or the issuance of regulatory directives, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between the NUC and university managements.
The retreat, themed “Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Leadership, and Partnership in the Nigerian University System,” brings together vice-chancellors of federal, state and private universities, education officials, university union leaders and other stakeholders.
Ahmad maintained that universities must move beyond their traditional role of awarding degrees to become centres of knowledge creation, research, innovation, character development and industrial transformation.
She noted that the quality of university education has far-reaching implications for national development, including human capital development, economic productivity, national prosperity and stability.
The minister also charged vice-chancellors to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of university finances, procurement, staff recruitment, promotion, admissions and examinations.
She urged university leaders to establish clear institutional visions, set measurable performance targets and create environments that encourage academic excellence.
Ahmad further called for regular consultations between the NUC and university managements to promote policy dialogue, exchange experiences and address challenges affecting the sector.
She expressed the expectation that the retreat would produce actionable recommendations capable of improving university administration and academic standards, rather than end with discussions alone.
The minister added that the proposed communiqué and post-retreat monitoring mechanism should provide a framework for tracking progress and ensuring that commitments made at the meeting translate into measurable improvements.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, outlined measures being introduced by the commission to strengthen regulation, improve academic standards and make Nigerian universities more responsive to national development needs.
Ribadu, who assumed office on December 23, 2024, said the commission had reviewed its operational guidelines and introduced measures aimed at improving university administration and the quality of academic programmes.
Among the initiatives, he said, were new guidelines for the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees, including sanctions for universities that violate the rules.
He also disclosed that the NUC had introduced post-matriculation monitoring and carrying-capacity visits to universities to improve admission processes and ensure that institutions operate within approved limits.
According to him, the commission is preparing to introduce post-accreditation monitoring visits to strengthen oversight of academic programmes after accreditation exercises.
Ribadu said the NUC Policy Development Strategy Committee had completed a comprehensive review of the university system and produced Blueprint 2.0 for the Rapid Revitalisation of Nigerian University Education.
He added that the commission was developing a 21st-century strategic plan and transitioning from the Annual Performance Evaluation system to the Performance Monitoring System pioneered by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The NUC chief urged universities to strengthen institutional strategic planning and ensure that research conducted by academics produces practical solutions to the country’s developmental challenges.
He stressed the need for stronger partnerships among universities, industry, government and other stakeholders to address challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education, technology, manufacturing and environmental management.
On the adoption of artificial intelligence, Ribadu disclosed that the commission was developing a National AI Roadmap and Policy Framework for the Nigerian University System.
The initiative is expected to provide a framework for integrating AI into university education as institutions respond to technological changes affecting teaching, learning, research and administration.
He said the commission had also established a dedicated research commercialisation division to encourage universities to translate research findings into useful products and services.
As part of efforts to expose university leaders to international best practices, the NUC is exploring opportunities for selected vice-chancellors to study research commercialisation models in universities across Europe and Asia.
Ribadu disclosed that the commission had launched the ACE Alliance platform to bring together all 20 African Centres of Excellence in Nigeria to strengthen collaboration on research relevant to the country’s development.
He added that a four-volume compendium of research outputs from the centres had been unveiled.
The NUC executive secretary also said the Tertiary Education Research and Application Services (TERAS) platform of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had been integrated with the Nigerian Research and Education Network to promote research collaboration.
On digital transformation, Ribadu announced that the NUC had developed and deployed e-NUC, a digital platform designed to automate the commission’s entire workflow.
He said the commission was also developing accreditation software to improve transparency, data management and quality assurance across Nigerian universities.
However, he cautioned that digital transformation involved more than acquiring computers, equipment and software, noting that institutions must also invest in capacity building, cybersecurity, appropriate policies and institutional preparedness.
Ribadu acknowledged that inadequate funding remained a major constraint on the development of the university system.
He urged institutions to explore alternative sources of funding through partnerships with the private sector, alumni associations, development partners and other stakeholders, while ensuring that such arrangements aligned with their institutional objectives and regulatory requirements.
He disclosed that the commission had established partnerships with development institutions, including the World Bank, the Agence Française de Développement and the African Development Bank, to attract additional support for university education.
The executive secretary called on vice-chancellors to demonstrate visionary leadership, integrity and accountability, stressing that effective university governance was essential to institutional stability and academic excellence.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Director of Research, Innovation and Information Technology at the NUC, L.M. Faruk, said the retreat was designed to strengthen engagement between the commission and university managements.
Faruk said discussions would focus on regulatory compliance and quality assurance, transformational leadership and governance, as well as strategic partnerships for the development of university education.
He expressed hope that the deliberations would produce actionable proposals for tackling longstanding and emerging challenges in the sector.
