In partnership with the AI giant, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) hosted the continent’s first OpenAI Academy, aimed at enhancing AI literacy and empowering African innovators. 

The programme took place from October 16–17, 2025, as part of the University’s 5th International Week themed “Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa.” Students, faculty members, and tech leaders were present to explore the opportunities and ethical challenges of AI on the continent.

Speaking during the interactive session at UNILAG, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Africa lead at OpenAI, said: “This collaboration is important. There’s a sense of urgency to act, not tomorrow, not yesterday, but now.”

The initiative was led by UNILAG’s Office of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects (IRPP) in collaboration with the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec). 

It aligns with both the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030) and Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy, which prioritise inclusive digital skills and ethical innovation.

Professor Ismail Ibraheem, director of IRPP, said the partnership reveals the University’s global outlook and commitment to locally relevant impact.

“At the University of Lagos, we are intentional about preparing our students to solve the unique needs of our continent through global partnerships. We prioritise inclusive access to digital skills, research, and learning opportunities to empower future innovators. Our goal is to help them approach AI with contextual understanding and ethical responsibility,” he stated.

The OpenAI Academy is a core part of OpenAI’s education mission launched in 2024 to make AI literacy accessible to everyone through free workshops, hands-on sessions, and community-driven learning. 

The Lagos edition, its debut in Africa, featured practical sessions on machine learning, generative AI, AI ethics, responsible innovation, and real-world applications for African contexts.

Lubanzadio described the launch as both a milestone and a call to action for inclusive development.

“Africa is home to some of the world’s most creative, resourceful problem-solvers. We want to make sure they have the tools to turn their ideas into impact. 

“Launching the OpenAI Academy in Lagos is a major step toward supporting the next generation of African innovators, giving them practical skills, connecting them to a global community, and helping ensure that AI reflects African voices and priorities,” he said.

Lubanzadio noted that while UNILAG is the first partner in Nigeria, OpenAI has a bigger goal to expand AI access and literacy across Africa. “You have to start somewhere. Our vision is that AI becomes as accessible as electricity, something everyone can use. But access or AI literacy is not one company’s responsibility. It has to be a multi-stakeholder approach.”

The sessions engaged lecturers and students on AI’s role in education, innovation, and societal development. Conversations ranged from ethical use in academic work to AI’s potential in agriculture, healthcare, and local language preservation.

Lubanzadio noted examples such as Digital Green, which uses OpenAI tools to help farmers identify crop diseases, and Jacaranda Health, which leverages chatbots to assist expectant mothers in Kenya. “It shows how AI can be embedded in essential sectors like health and agriculture,” he explained.

He maintained that the focus should be on balance and human adaptability. “Technology has always disrupted, but humans adapt. We’ve survived every wave of change, AI is no different.”

On the issue of African language representation in AI models, Lubanzadio acknowledged the gap but noted progress. “We recently closed a partnership with Orange, which operates in 18 African countries. We’ve made our open-weight model available for African languages, starting with Wolof. It’s not enough, but it’s a start,” he said.

He further encouraged institutions to engage with OpenAI’s Open Academy, a free learning platform offering AI education resources to students and professionals globally.

Highlighting privacy, data use, and ethics, Lubanzadio clarified that OpenAI allows users to control whether their data is used for model training and complies with data protection laws in every jurisdiction.

He added that responsible AI must be pursued collectively, by policymakers, educators, and the private sector. “AI is here to stay, not as an imposition, but as an opportunity. Everyone has the choice to use it or not, but we must prepare for its presence,” he said.

The Lagos event, which coincided with OpenAI’s rollout of ChatGPT Go, a new, lower-cost subscription tier available in Nigeria and 56 other countries, stresses a growing focus on Africa as an important part of the global AI conversation.

Lubanzadio concluded that this collaboration is “only the beginning” of OpenAI’s long-term engagement with African academia.

“This partnership with UNILAG is not ending today, it’s the start of something bigger. The fact that we’re having this conversation is progress. Let’s build on it,” he said.

The programme aims to train Nigerian youths in essential skills to drive digital economic growth and prepare them for leadership roles in the tech space.

This initiative, in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Intel Corporation, aims to prepare participants for emerging roles in technology and innovation.

The programme offers self-paced courses on AI fundamentals, ethical practices, tools, and real-world applications. Participants will also have opportunities to secure internships with Intel Corporation and ambassadorial roles, providing practical experience and global exposure.

Benefits

Participants stand to gain a variety of benefits, including:

• Master AI Fundamentals: Gain an in-depth understanding of AI concepts, ethics, and practical applications.

• Receive Professional Certification: Earn a certificate upon completion to enhance career prospects.

• Access Hands-On Learning: Work with AI tools and frameworks to develop innovative projects.

• Compete in National Events: Showcase their knowledge and skills in AI competitions.

• Secure Global Internships: Collaborate with Intel Corporation experts for real-world experience.

• Create Social Impact: Learn to design AI-driven solutions for societal challenges and sustainable development.

Eligibility

The programme is open to Nigerians from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, including students, youths, and civil servants. No prior knowledge of artificial intelligence is required to enrol, making it accessible to everyone.

How to Apply

Interested individuals can apply by visiting the programme’s official website. The application portal will remain open until 30 January 2025. Eligible youths are encouraged to seize this opportunity to acquire valuable skills for the future.

The Federal Government’s AI Academy is leveraging technology to ensure economic growth, job creation, and innovation, with the youths at the forefront.

The initiative, driven by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Intel Corporation, aims to place the country as a leader in AI innovation across Africa.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, explained that the academy is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of AI and its real-world applications. 

He urged Nigerians, especially students, young professionals, and civil servants, to seize this opportunity to gain cutting-edge knowledge and contribute to the nation’s growth.

Programme Overview

The AI Academy offers self-paced online courses covering AI fundamentals, ethics, tools, and practical applications. 

Participants will also have access to advanced opportunities, including internships with Intel Corporation and roles as AI ambassadors. 

Registration for the programme is open from 19 December 2024 to 30 January 2025 via the Ministry’s official website.

“The AI Academy is not just a training platform but a transformative opportunity for Nigerians—students, youths, and civil servants—to acquire critical skills in AI,” Nnaji stated. “In a world where AI is reshaping industries, solving complex problems, and creating new economic frontiers, it is imperative that Nigeria not only keeps pace but leads the charge.”

AI’s Role in Nation-Building

Chief Nnaji stressed the huge impact of AI on critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and security. 

According to him, integrating AI into these industries will enable Nigeria to address its unique challenges with innovative solutions.

He added that the academy aligns with other government initiatives, including the recent launch of Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. 

This policy framework is designed to ensure that the country maximises the benefits of AI while promoting inclusivity and collaboration among stakeholders.

Driving Nigeria’s AI Competitiveness

Since the start of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, progress has been made in integrating AI into Nigeria’s digital economy. 

Under the guidance of the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the government has launched initiatives such as the Nigerian Large Language Model (LLM), which supports low-resource languages and accented English.

These aim to ensure Nigeria remains at the forefront of AI innovation in Africa. “Our vision is to build a future where AI drives economic progress and also solves complex societal problems,” Nnaji concluded.

The decision to initiate this project has been made with the objective of developing young minds from all over Africa who are interested in pursuing careers related to technology across different industries.

The training program will be achieved through [AI] Academy, a leading online training platform for Data Analysis, Machine Learning that makes it easy for individuals and organizations to learn the required technical skills for the future of work.

The training program will span across West, East, North, South and Central Africa.

According to Tersoo Ahire, the Academy Coordinator, “While running AI Logic Ltd, we realised that there was a large gap between the demand and supply of data and AI specialists across the continent of Africa, with the demand for these roles far outstripping the supply in the talent pool.

“With a mandate of training 5 million Africans, we are preparing them for the future of work and enabling them to build data driven AI solutions that will improve the quality of life of over a billion people on the continent and other emerging markets. This will accelerate the uptick of cutting-edge data analytics and AI start-ups, which will support the digital transformation of organizations across Africa.”

In the same regard, David Edoja, the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of [AI] Analytics Intelligence says: “We are in a race to democratize data and our focus is to put Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence practices into practice at scale across Africa. This initiative echoes our quest for democratization of data analytics and AI technologies in Africa and help bridge the gap between educational institutions and students by equipping them with digital skills needed for the future.

“The platform will also provide a wealth of training plans for students and professionals alike. The training program will not only help empower people with the basic skills needed to work with data but also create jobs and improve the standard of living. We are offering a unique and pioneering opportunity for founders, innovators, and investors to partner with us by creating an ecosystem of African entrepreneurs in the unique space of Data Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.”

To know more about [AI] Academy send an email to: tersoo.ahire@analyticsintelligence.com