FG, UNDP To Transform Nigerian Varsities Into AI Innovation, Digital Talent Hubs

* As Shettima launches first African university pods at UNILAG Tuesday

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Federal Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are poised to transform Nigerian universities into Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation and digital talent hubs.

This is just as Vice-President Kashim Shettima will, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 perform the official flag-off of the first University Innovation Pods (UNIPOD) in Africa at the University of Lagos.

UNIPOD, an initiative of the UNDP in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, aims to reconfigure Nigeria’s development architecture to transform universities into engines of innovation and enterprise creation, among other objectives.

Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, said the UNIPOD initiative “underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning our universities as drivers of economic growth, innovation and enterprise development, addressing the disconnect between formal education and labour market outcomes.

“The UniPods are designed to address this by providing structured platforms within our universities where ideas can be developed, tested, financed and translated into viable enterprises for societal impact and economic development,” he added.

On the benefits of the programme, Hadejia said the initiative “is not merely an infrastructure intervention but a deliberate step towards building a coherent national innovation system – one that links talent, research, industry and investment in a more purposeful manner”.

He also noted that the rollout will commence with the University of Lagos Artificial Intelligence Pod, with additional UniPods to follow in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Benue and Borno States.

On the implementation model, Hadejia said the interventions under the programme are central to government’s efforts to harness the potential of Nigeria’s youth population by embedding innovation and enterprise within the university environment where students and researchers will have access to the skills, tools, mentorship and financing required to develop practical solutions and build scalable ventures.

Also speaking, the UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said Nigeria is the first country in Africa to take the UniPods model to scale through direct government investment.

According to her, the planned flag-off positions Nigeria as a continental leader in building a knowledge-driven economy.

Giving insight into the national rollout, the UN official said aside from UNILAG, a series of UniPod launches will take place across the country, including: Nasarawa State University, Keffi – Mining Technology; University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom – Green and Blue Economy; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (Abia) – Manufacturing and Trade; Benue State University, Makurdi – Agriculture and Food Systems; and the University of Maiduguri – Resilience and Recovery.

According to her, these hubs are already established, equipped and ready for activation, with energy solutions, connectivity and operational teams in place.

“Together, they form the first cohort of a national innovation network spanning all geopolitical zones,” she added.

She explained that with over 220 million people—more than 60% of whom are under the age of 25—the country holds one of the most powerful demographic assets globally.

Attafuah said the UniPods will be fully operationalised under the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Partnership Programme (NIDTPP)—a joint platform between UNDP and TETFund designed, among other interventions, to transform public investments into living innovation ecosystems.

“Through the expanded national investment case, Nigeria aims to scale to over 50 universities nationwide; reach over 500,000 learners with advanced digital and AI skills; support 1,500–2,000 startups and student ventures; and unlock large-scale job creation and enterprise growth,” she said.

These interventions, according to her, will position Nigeria as a hub for digital talent, a leader in AI and innovation ecosystems, and a driver of industrial and economic transformation in Africa.

She expressed deep appreciation to Vice-President Shettima for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing human capital development, innovation, digital transformation and economic diversification under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.