A Chief Lecturer, Department of Communication and Language Arts, Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech), Dr Omobayo Raheem, has called on individuals, institutions and industries to key into using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance Nigeria.

Raheem made the call on Thursday evening while delivering Yabatech’s 17th Inaugural Lecture Series 2025, with the title: ‘Capacitance of Artificial Intelligence: Communication, Framing and Learning in a Growing Economy’.

Raheem is a former Deputy Rector (Administration) at Yabatech.

He said that AI had the potential to transform Nigeria’s economy from developing to developed, by improving productivity, efficiency and decision-making in businesses.

“AI has revolutionised how we work, live and engage in activities.

“It holds significant importance due to its transformative impact on various aspects of our lives.

“AI can enable us as a people to compete better with developed countries especially due to the fact that Nigeria already possesses human resource capacity.

“Our growing economy stands a lot to gain as creativity engenders development in key sectors. AI has come to stay, it is revolutionising the world,” he said.

The lecturer identied challenges in a growing economy to include high cost of energy, poverty, low productivity, high population growth rate and high rate of unemployment

Raheem said: “We can harness the power of AI to drive economic growth and improve society while minimising negative consequences.

“Poverty is a major constraint to national development, it is an obstacle to a competitive and robust economy.

“Several communities in most developing economies cannot boast of electricity supply for 10 hours a day.”

He recommended development of programmes, instructional materials and support systems to enable educators to integrate AI technologies into teaching and learning.

“With necessary tools put in place, AI will enhance human potential, critical thinking and creativity alongside its computational power,” he said.

He added that AI offered a promising framework for adequate functional communication, as well as efficient and effective teaching and learning process through responsible and well-guided use.

The Rector of Yabatech, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, who praised the inaugural lecturer, said the lecture would expand people’s understanding of AI and how it pervaded different aspects of communication, media framing and learning.

Abdul said: “He has made us to realise that since we now live in the age of digitalisation and globalisation, AI cannot but play the role of a master key in growing our economy.

“It is very important for us as lecturers or parents to invite AI, try to understand what it can be used for and how it can be positively adapted to the life in which we live.” (NAN)