The Federal Government has introduced new Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and Networking as part of a broader plan to modernise Nigeria’s technical education system.

The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, noting that the initiative is aimed at aligning Nigeria’s education sector with global technological advancements and the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Bugaje described the move as a major milestone in the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to equip young Nigerians with relevant digital skills for the modern economy.

“We have unbundled the traditional HND programmes into more specific skill areas. This is already being implemented, and under the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), we are offering more specialised training modules in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and networking,” Bugaje said.

Digital tools for governance 

Beyond curriculum changes, Bugaje said the NBTE has also integrated digital tools into its governance and oversight processes.

According to him, one key innovation is the deployment of a digital accreditation platform powered by AI to monitor academic standards, prevent faculty duplication, and curb malpractice in polytechnics.

“If a lecturer appears on multiple polytechnic websites, the AI system will flag it. This will help us maintain integrity in the accreditation process,” Bugaje explained.

Under this new system, technical institutions are now required to upload detailed information on their facilities, faculty, and equipment to a centralised digital platform.

This digital shift means NBTE no longer needs to send physical teams to many schools for accreditation, reducing cost, risks, and manipulation.

Bugaje added that institutions in remote areas without reliable internet access would be assessed by accredited vendors, who will submit verification reports for NBTE’s review.

Repositioning education with technology   

Bugaje noted that the transition is guided by the Minimum National Academic Standards (MNAS), which sets out specific requirements for each National Diploma (ND) and HND programme, covering areas such as faculty qualifications, infrastructure, and equipment.

He emphasised that these reforms are crucial to positioning Nigerian polytechnics for global relevance and boosting the nation’s economic competitiveness.

“Nigeria has no choice but to embed technology in education and economic development. This is how we can unlock growth and prosperity in the digital age,” he said.

The new programmes and accreditation system are expected to help Nigeria harness technology to drive GDP growth, drawing inspiration from successful models in Southeast Asia.