As part of activities for its 2025 Y’ello Connect, MTN has trained students of St. Augustine College of Education, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, in the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

The training, which was powered by MTN staff as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative, was held at the school premises on Thursday.

The telecommunication giant’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs Onyinye Ikenya-Emeka, explained that the training was aimed at empowering the students to use AI productively and ethically.

“This year, we are focused on connecting at the roots. What that simply means is going back to the basics from a digital literacy perspective. Across the organisation, we have been engaging since June 1, at different fora- schools, churches, gatherings, skills development outfits, and the like, even in the markets.

“The whole idea is to drive for digital literacy. Today we’re here with the very good people of St. Augustine’s College of Education, and what we’re trying to do is to educate them and create awareness of the need for understanding around new initiatives in the digital space, such as AI and machine learning, and how they can actually ethically utilise them.

A lot of students are turning in plagiarized work. Nobody’s using their brains anymore; everybody’s just focusing on getting assistance to help them. But we’re saying you can use it in a meaningful and ethical way,” she enunciated.

According to Ikenya-Emeka, students can utilise AI to expand their knowledge, drive better value, and extract better value from whatever work they are trying to achieve.

“Also, that basic digital literacy understanding would prepare you for the world out there and how to navigate in the world today. Because, as we know, the world is quickly evolving and everything is changing,” she added.

Also, the Strategic Partner Development Manager, Google Search, Mrs Ugochi Agoreyo, urged the students to use AI to improve their learning experience and stop using it to do assignments.

She also enjoined them to use AI responsibly and beneficially, noting that it helps them to customise their learning path so that they’re more efficient at learning.

“AI helps you optimise the way that you learn. We need to get you to the point where you understand how to use AI beneficially and ethically,” Agoreyo emphasised.

A Solution Architect with Huawei, Ayobamidele Oke, also taught the students of St. Augustine College of Education how to use prompts correctly when utilising AI.

He urged them to always give AI a role by telling it specifically the task they want it to do and being descriptive in their prompts.

According to the Provost of St. Augustine College of Education, Rev. Fr. (Dr) Vincent Olofinkua, the generous gesture from MTN is a significant step forward in advancing knowledge, bridging the digital divide, and preparing the next generation for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

“We recognise that AI is shaping the future of education, business, and society at large. By equipping our students and faculty with insights into this transformative technology, MTN is investing not only in infrastructure but in minds—sharpening skills, sparking curiosity, and expanding horizons,” he added.

The firm also donated an Acer projector and a projector screen, two laptops, a 5G router, 10 desktops and monitors, and 10 Mifis to the school.

The MTN Y’ello Connecting initiative has been running in the 19 countries where the firm operates for the past 18 years.