The Osun State Government has announced its readiness to collaborate with the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) to advance artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and promote the 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 initiative 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 courtesy visits to both ministries in Osogbo, the BBYDI team, led by Communications Director Sanni Alausa-Issa, outlined the organisation’s plans to introduce AI literacy into classroom learning through storytelling, culturally relevant content, and teacher training.
Speaking at the Ministry of Education, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adekilekun Jimoh, applauded BBYDI’s forward-thinking initiative, describing it as a crucial step toward preparing students for a technology-driven future.
“This is a welcome development,” he said. “AI literacy represents 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.”
Mr. Jimoh assured BBYDI of the Ministry’s commitment to scaling the project across the state, emphasising that equipping young learners with digital skills is key to their global 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, praised BBYDI’s inclusive approach and its focus on local-language learning and community engagement.
“This is an impressive initiative,” she noted. “Many people hear about AI but consider it distant or complex. What you’re doing—bringing it to communities in Yoruba, Pidgin, and Hausa—is exactly what inclusion should look like.”
Mrs. Olanrewaju added that the Ministry is eager to support partnerships that foster innovation and digital competence among youths and schools, urging BBYDI to collaborate with existing innovation hubs and technology clusters to enhance reach and impact.
Explaining the core of the initiative, Alausa-Issa said the AI Literacy for Everyday People project aims 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 explained. “Our goal is to help every Nigerian understand and use AI safely. We are producing storybooks for secondary schools and flashcards for primary schools—all in local languages—to make learning more relatable.”
He added that the initiative, supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, includes a train-the-trainer programme for teachers, parents, and youth leaders to ensure sustainability, alongside an AI Blueprint Draft to guide policy discussions on ethics, inclusion, and digital responsibility.
The partnership reflects Osun State’s growing commitment to digital transformation and inclusive education, as both ministries pledged to work with BBYDI to integrate AI literacy into formal and informal learning systems across the state.
