By Idris Auwal
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE’) has introduced HND programs in AI, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering to align with global technological trends.
The Executive Secretary of the NBTE Board said the new courses in Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and Networking are part of a broader plan to modernise Nigeria’s technical education system.
The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is working tirelessly to explore more opportunities for Nigerian youths saying in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the NBTE Board is at aligning Nigeria’s education sector with global technological advancements and the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Bugaje described the move as a major milestone in the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to equip young Nigerians with relevant digital skills for the modern economy.
“We have unbundled the traditional HND programmes into more specific skill areas. This is already being implemented, and under the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), we are offering more specialised training modules in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and networking,” Bugaje said.
Digital tools for governance
Beyond curriculum changes, Bugaje said the NBTE has also integrated digital tools into its governance and oversight processes.
According to him, one key innovation is the deployment of a digital accreditation platform powered by AI to monitor academic standards, prevent faculty duplication, and curb malpractice in polytechnics.
“If a lecturer appears on multiple polytechnic websites, the AI system will flag it. This will help us maintain integrity in the accreditation process,” Bugaje explained.
Repositioning education with technology
Bugaje noted that the transition is guided by the Minimum National Academic Standards (MNAS), which sets out specific requirements for each National Diploma (ND) and HND programme, covering areas such as faculty qualifications, infrastructure, and equipment.
He emphasised that these reforms are crucial to positioning Nigerian polytechnics for global relevance and boosting the nation’s economic competitiveness.
“Nigeria has no choice but to embed technology in education and economic development. This is how we can unlock growth and prosperity in the digital age,” he said.
The new programmes and accreditation system are expected to help Nigeria harness technology to drive GDP growth, drawing inspiration from successful models in Southeast Asia.
NAN