Osun State government has expressed readiness to collaborate with the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) to promote artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and localisation of AI education across schools in the state.
Through its Ministries of Education and Science, Innovation, Technology and Digital Economy, the government commended BBYDI’s AI Literacy for Everyday People project, describing it as a timely intervention that aligns with the state’s digital transformation agenda and the Federal Government’s new national curriculum, which emphasises creativity, skills-based learning, and digital competence.
During separate courtesy visits to both ministries in Osogbo, the BBYDI team, led by Communications Director Sanni Alausa-Issa, briefed officials on the organisation’s plans to integrate AI literacy into classroom learning through storytelling, culturally relevant materials, and teacher training.
Speaking at the Ministry of Education, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adekilekun Jimoh, applauded BBYDI for its forward-thinking approach to preparing students for a technology-driven future.
“This is a welcome development,” Mr. Jimoh said. “AI literacy is the future of education, and Osun State is ready to be part of it. We will nominate teachers and identify schools where this initiative can take root immediately.”
He assured the organisation of the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate in scaling the project across the state, adding that empowering young learners with digital skills was crucial to their competitiveness in an increasingly digital world.
At the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Digital Economy, the Director of Science and Innovation, Mrs. Lateefah Olanrewaju, also commended BBYDI for its people-centred approach and emphasis on inclusion through local-language delivery and community engagement.
“This is an impressive initiative,” she said. “Many people hear about AI but see it as something distant or complicated. What you are doing—bringing it to our communities in Yoruba, Pidgin, and Hausa—is exactly what inclusion should look like.”
Mrs. Olanrewaju added that the Ministry is keen on partnerships that promote innovation and digital skills among youths and schools, urging BBYDI to engage existing innovation hubs and technology clusters for broader reach and adoption.
Explaining the core of the project, Alausa-Issa said the AI Literacy for Everyday People initiative is designed to make artificial intelligence accessible, ethical, and inclusive for Nigerians of all backgrounds.
“We’re using storytelling, radio drama, illustrated handbooks, and flashcards to make AI relatable to teachers and students,” he said. “Our goal is to help every Nigerian understand and use AI safely. We are producing radio dramas, flashcards for primary schools, and storybooks for secondary schools—all in local languages—to make the learning relatable.”
He noted that the initiative, supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, also features a train-the-trainer programme for teachers, parents, and community youth leaders to ensure knowledge sustainability, alongside an AI Blueprint Draft to guide policy discussions on ethics, inclusion, and digital responsibility.
The partnership signals Osun State’s growing commitment to digital transformation and inclusive education, as both ministries pledged to work closely with BBYDI to embed AI literacy into formal and informal learning systems across the state.