Amid concerns about the negative impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the education system, a leading advocate for real-world skills and digital fluency, Godson Ozioma, has allayed fears about diminishing critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills among students.

Speaking at an event on education and innovation in Lagos yesterday, Ozioma emphasised the need to overhaul Nigeria’s education system, shifting from traditional, theory-driven lectures to problem-solving experiences that mirror real market demands.

According to him, “Nigeria’s greatest threat is not AI. It is the education system that refuses to change, even as the world around it evolves at the speed of innovation.”

While expressing concern about the outdated teaching methods, he lamented that many schools still prepare students for a world that no longer exists by focusing on rote memorisation instead of fostering creativity and critical thinking.

“Our education system is built on memory and repetition, not creativity or critical thinking. We are producing graduates with degrees, but not with skills. Artificial Intelligence didn’t create that problem; it only exposed it,” he said.

He, however, noted that the real conversation shouldn’t be about AI replacing humans but whether Nigeria’s education system is still equipping people to remain relevant at all.

Speaking further, he urged Nigerians to embrace the technology to remain competitive in a rapidly changing job market.

“Al has never been our enemy; it is forcing us to confront the truth. Al is telling us that the future of work requires a new kind of learning, one that is practical, digital, and deeply human,” he said.