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The Borno State government, through the Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA), has entered into a strategic partnership with Kashim Ibrahim University to deepen institutional capacity and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across the university system.
The collaboration marks a major step in the state’s broader digital transformation agenda, as public institutions increasingly move to integrate AI tools into teaching, research, and administrative processes.
The agreement was reached during a high-level engagement held at the BICTDA headquarters in Borno State, chaired by the agency’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Kabir Mohammed Wanori. Senior officials from both institutions attended the meeting, underscoring the growing urgency around structured AI integration in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Representing the university was a delegation led by Prof. Bintu Mustapha, Director of the Centre for Research and Development. Other members included Prof. Mutawalli Ajagana, Director of Academic Planning; Prof. Bosoma Sheriff, Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies; Dr. Maryam Imam, Director of Entrepreneurship; and Dr. Wakil Mala Bukar, Acting Dean of Student Affairs.
Focus on AI skills gap in academia
A central issue raised during the discussions was the widening gap between the rapid adoption of AI technologies and the limited formal training available to many users within academic institutions.
Participants noted that while lecturers, researchers, and administrators are increasingly using AI-powered tools, many lack structured knowledge in ethical deployment, accuracy standards, and originality safeguards. This, stakeholders warned, creates risks around misuse, weak governance, and unreliable outputs.
To address this gap, both parties agreed to organise a two-day capacity-building workshop targeted at heads of departments, directors of centres, and other critical university stakeholders.
The training programme is expected to cover practical applications of AI in lecture delivery, automated grading support, research data analysis, and optimisation of administrative workflows.
Expected impact on teaching, research, governance
According to BICTDA, the partnership is designed not only to improve technical literacy but also to reposition Borno’s education system for competitiveness in an increasingly AI-driven global environment.
Speaking during the engagement, Wanori described the collaboration as a strategic milestone for the state.
“This partnership marks a strategic milestone in equipping our institutions with the capacity to harness Artificial Intelligence to transform teaching, drive impactful research, and strengthen governance across Borno State.”
University representatives also commended BICTDA’s leadership and reaffirmed their commitment to embedding AI into academic curricula, research systems, and internal administration.
Under the implementation framework agreed by both institutions, BICTDA will provide technical expertise, advisory support, and core resources, while Kashim Ibrahim University will coordinate participation and ensure institutional alignment.
The next phase of the partnership will focus on designing tailored training modules, defining participant scope, and finalising rollout timelines, setting the stage for what could become a model for AI-enabled higher education reform in Nigeria.
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