FATE Foundation, working with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), has launched the $1.1 million Google. org-funded Africa AI Upskilling Programme to strengthen advanced artificial intelligence education and skills development in Nigerian universities.

The multi-country initiative will reach educators and young Nigerians across 10 universities as part of a wider programme to establish a sustainable and scalable system for advanced AI education in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.

The Nigerian launch was held at the University of Lagos, where FATE Foundation Executive Director, Ayomide Akindolie-Igwe, outlined the groups expected to benefit from the initiative.

According to Akindolie-Igwe, the programme will support lecturers, teaching assistants, as well as penultimate and final-year students studying STEM disciplines.

She said FATE Foundation would work with participating higher education institutions to improve their ability to deliver advanced AI education while giving educators practical skills capable of producing long-term benefits for students.

Akindolie-Igwe disclosed that the programme is targeting more than 30,000 students for advanced AI training.

A major component of the initiative will be the incorporation of advanced AI curricula into the regular academic programmes of participating institutions.

She said the objective is for the curriculum, or an updated version of it, to remain part of STEM education across Africa after the initial programme cycle ends.

The initiative is expected to enhance universities’ ability to produce graduates equipped with relevant artificial intelligence and technology skills, while strengthening the talent pipeline needed to support Africa’s expanding digital economy.

Sub-Saharan Africa Programme Manager at Google.org, Matita Arize, said the organisation’s investment in AI upskilling is based on the belief that technological advancement should help close inequality gaps rather than widen them.

“At Google.org, our priority focus around AI upskilling centers on a simple yet profound premise: Technology should be a great equalizer, not a wedge that deepens global inequality,” she said.

Arize said Google.org wants the benefits of artificial intelligence to be available to people in different regions, particularly communities located closest to problems that technology can potentially address.

She added that giving people AI skills would allow them to create solutions tailored to challenges within their own communities.

Programme Director of the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, Francis Sani, also addressed participants during the launch.

He urged beneficiaries to concentrate on developing artificial intelligence applications capable of addressing challenges specific to Nigeria.

Sani encouraged participants to apply the knowledge and capabilities gained through the programme to create solutions across different areas of the economy.

“As we implement this programme, let us apply AI to solve our national problems across all sectors in our country. This programme should expand the pool of AI professionals we have in the country,” Sani said.

The launch comes at a time when demand for artificial intelligence skills is increasing across industries, placing greater pressure on universities to update their curricula and prepare students for emerging technology roles and opportunities within the broader digital economy.

By training educators as well as students, the initiative is structured to strengthen institutional capacity and help universities continue delivering advanced AI education beyond the students and educators directly reached during the programme’s initial phase.

Source: MSME Africa Online