Nigeria is entering a defining moment in its technological journey. Across the country, interest in artificial intelligence has surged. Corporations, ministries, universities, and even small enterprises are investing in training programmes as they try to understand a fast changing global economy. This enthusiasm is welcome. No modern nation can compete internationally without building strong AI capacity.
But a troubling pattern has emerged. A wave of unqualified trainers, self styled consultants, and individuals with no formal training in artificial intelligence now present themselves as experts. They offer advice to public institutions, speak at corporate retreats, and shape long term strategies for organisations that do not yet know how to judge the quality of the information they receive. It is a development that threatens to distort Nigeria’s understanding of AI and weaken the credibility of genuine efforts to build national competence.
Artificial intelligence is not an inspirational slogan. It is a technical discipline built on mathematics, computer science, statistics, governance, ethics, and applied research. It requires structured education and sustained engagement. Yet many Nigerian organisations are receiving AI instruction from people whose knowledge extends only to popular summaries or the most basic online tutorials. The result is predictable. Companies are fed misinformation. Boards draw wrong conclusions. Senior managers adopt shallow strategies. And institutions suffer.
The danger is not academic. When leaders receive poor training in AI, the consequences cascade through everything that follows. Poor risk assessments lead to flawed automation strategies. Incorrect understanding of data governance exposes companies to legal and regulatory problems. Overconfidence driven by misunderstanding often results in money wasted on tools that do not solve the problems they were purchased to address. Entire sectors can be misled simply because those entrusted with guidance were never qualified to teach.
No serious organisation would allow someone without an accounting qualification to audit its books. No firm would let a motivational speaker perform surgery. Yet many are allowing people without recognised AI training to direct their digital transformation projects. This must stop.
Boards and senior executives depend on expert advice in areas such as AI governance, responsible deployment, privacy, cybersecurity, regulation, business model transformation, and workforce planning. These are not casual topics. They require deep technical grounding. When the wrong voice is placed in front of the right audience, the cost can run into millions and leave lasting damage to corporate reputation and national competitiveness.
Nigeria needs a cultural shift in how it evaluates AI expertise. Companies must demand verifiable qualifications. Trainers should have formal AI education from reputable institutions. They should present credible certifications, not quick online participation badges. Their experience must include real work with senior teams, along with knowledge of global policy frameworks. A public registry of qualified AI practitioners would help organisations make informed decisions.
This is also a national responsibility. Nigeria requires a professional regulation framework for AI instruction similar to those governing medicine, law, accounting, engineering, and management. There must be minimum standards for trainers and consultants. There must be accreditation for institutions offering AI programmes. There must be penalties for false claims and systems that protect the public from misinformation. Without such guardrails, the market will continue to reward confidence over competence.
Nigeria does not lack credible institutions. Internationally, universities such as Oxford, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Imperial College, and Cambridge offer rigorous AI education. Regionally, bodies such as AIMS, DSN, NITDA, the National AI Strategy Committee, and university research centres provide serious training. Local companies, including GenAI Learning Concepts, are building capacity with professional standards and global partnerships. What the country needs is a clear line separating genuine expertise from empty claims.
Artificial intelligence will shape finance, health, security, education, productivity, climate resilience, and the wider economy. The quality of Nigeria’s AI trainers today will influence the nation’s competitiveness for decades. We cannot build a modern digital economy on weak knowledge. We cannot allow misinformation to guide national transformation.
It is time for organisations in both the public and private sectors to insist on excellence. AI training must be treated with the same seriousness as any other profession that carries national consequences. The people guiding the country through this transformation must themselves be trained, certified, and accountable.
Nigeria’s digital future depends on it.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the editorial position of The Southern African Times.
About the Author
Sonny Iroche is CEO of GenAI Learning Concepts and a former Senior Academic Fellow at the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. He holds postgraduate training in Artificial Intelligence from Saïd Business School and serves on the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee of Nigeria and on the UNESCO Technical Working Group on AI Readiness Assessment.
