Artificial intelligence is increasingly finding its way into Nigerian classrooms, but teachers and education stakeholders say the technology must be matched with better training, welfare, facilities and professional recognition.
The issue takes on added significance as Nigeria marks the 2026 World Teachers’ Day on October 5. The annual observance highlights the role of teachers in education and national development and, this year, coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
The Federal Ministry of Education has identified innovation, mobility, artificial intelligence, inclusion and professional excellence as key areas for this year’s celebration. Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the focus was intended to strengthen the teaching profession and prepare educators for emerging challenges.
Ahmad said AI could support personalised learning, improve data-driven decision-making and reduce teachers’ administrative workload when deployed responsibly and inclusively. She added that the government had also digitised the selection process for the 2026 World Teachers’ Day awards to improve transparency and documentation.
The minister said the government was continuing efforts to improve teachers’ professional competence through the Accelerated Teacher Professional Development Programme, implemented by the National Teachers’ Institute and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. The programme targets 250,000 unqualified teachers and provides pathways to professional qualifications through postgraduate and professional diploma programmes.
However, education stakeholders said technology alone would not address the challenges facing the profession. They called for competitive remuneration, improved working conditions, career advancement opportunities, continuous training and greater involvement of teachers in education policy decisions.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audu Amba, said AI should complement rather than undermine teachers’ professional role. “The future of education must therefore be a future in which teachers are empowered to adapt, innovate and continue to exercise their professional judgment,” he said.
Other stakeholders also stressed the importance of recognition and welfare. Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Education Chapter Chairman, Sam Ngadi, said better working conditions were essential to improving teachers’ morale and productivity, while teacher Naomi Tile said meaningful recognition could encourage educators to adopt innovative approaches in the classroom.
Education stakeholder Micah Onyilo similarly called for greater appreciation of teachers, arguing that recognition could strengthen motivation and commitment. He said Teachers’ Day should serve as a reminder that educators’ contributions extend beyond the classroom to the development of society.
As AI reshapes education, stakeholders say Nigeria’s ability to benefit from the technology will depend on how effectively teachers are equipped to use it. They argue that sustained investment in skills, welfare and professional dignity will be essential to ensuring that AI enhances, rather than diminishes, the human role at the heart of education.
