Nigerian AI Professor Suggest Using AI to Address Education Gaps, Youth Unemployment in Africa

Oluchi Chibuzor

At a time when Africa faces rising youth unemployment and persistent education gaps, Assistant Prof. Basil Duwa, led team is advancing a data-driven case for Artificial Intelligence as part of the solution.

In a recently published international study titled ‘AI-Driven Innovation in Education and Research: A Roadmap for Global South Development’, Duwa and his colleagues examined how education indicators across 124 countries relate to labor market outcomes.

The goal was straightforward but ambitious move beyond rhetoric and quantify where education systems are struggling most, and how those weaknesses connect to unemployment.

With over 1.2 billion young people in the Global South and more than 250 million children globally out of school, the researchers argue that traditional reforms are no longer sufficient.

Instead, they propose an integrated “educational challenge score” built from multi-indicator data across 124 countries.

According to the findings, Niger, South Sudan and Djibouti ranked highest in educational challenges, followed by Chad and Mali. As shown in the ranking table on page 202 of the publication, these countries face deep structural barriers including poor infrastructure, gender gaps and low completion rates.

Dr. Duwa, who is an Assistant Professor with the Operational Research Center in Healthcare at Near East University, Cyprus explained that the goal was not merely to highlight disparities but to quantify them using machine learning tools.

The team analysed dataset records from 124 countries and applied multiple regression models to explore the relationship between education indicators and unemployment rates.

He argues that Artificial Intelligence can help address these gaps in three main ways.

“First, AI-driven adaptive learning platforms can personalize instruction for students who would otherwise fall behind in overcrowded classrooms. Second, remote and digital learning tools can expand access in rural and conflict-affected regions. Third, predictive analytics can help governments identify at-risk populations and allocate resources more efficiently”, he said.

The study was conducted as an international collaboration, bringing together researchers from Near East University, Cyprus and the University of Bolton’s Centre of Intelligence of Things, headed by Professor Celestine Iwendi.

This partnership strengthened the study’s technical depth, particularly in the application of Machine Learning models and intelligent systems for social development.

By combining expertise in data science, AI engineering and global development analytics, the team ensured that the framework proposed for addressing education gaps and youth unemployment was both methodologically rigorous and practically grounded.

Importantly, the study stresses that AI is not a magic wand, noting that implementation must be strategic, locally grounded and ethically guided.

It also noted that without infrastructure, digital literacy and inclusive policy frameworks, AI tools risk reinforcing existing inequalities rather than reducing them.

The research also highlights a deeper imbalance as many African countries have fewer than 500 research and development personnel per million inhabitants, compared to over 5,000 in parts of Europe and East Asia; this disparity in research capacity affects not only technological innovation but also evidence-based policymaking.

For Duwa, who has built his academic career at the intersection of Biomedical Engineering, Machine learning and public health analytics, the education-unemployment link represents a broader systems challenge.

According to him, “Education is not just a social service. It is an economic engine. When learning outcomes decline, labor markets feel the strain.

“The study concludes that AI-powered solutions such as automated tutoring systems, intelligent monitoring dashboards and data-informed policy planning could have transformative effects in high-need regions. The emphasis, however, remains on evidence and accountability.

“Africa’s demographic reality adds urgency to the discussion. With one of the youngest populations in the world, the continent cannot afford educational stagnation. Youth unemployment is not simply an economic statistic. It shapes migration, social stability and long-term development trajectories.”

Duwa’s research suggests that the path forward lies in combining rigorous data analysis with technological innovation.

“Artificial Intelligence, when carefully deployed, offers a structured way to diagnose weaknesses, priorities interventions and track outcomes over time.

“The challenge now is not whether AI can be used in African education systems. The real question is whether policymakers, institutions and stakeholders are ready to use it responsibly, strategically and inclusively,” he stated.

For Duwa and his collaborators, measurable education reform, supported by intelligent systems, may be one of the continent’s most practical tools for tackling youth unemployment in the decades ahead.