CITAD trains Kano lecturers on AI, Blockchain

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has trained 31 lecturers of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano State, on Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain technology and digital research tools.

The one-day capacity-building workshop, held on Monday at the college, was aimed at improving academic research, transparency and knowledge verification.

The training exposed participants to the use of AI in academic research, digital tools for data management and blockchain applications in higher education.

Speaking at the programme, CITAD Executive Director, Y. Z. Ya’u, represented by the organisation’s Communication Officer, Ali Sabo, said the initiative was aimed at addressing the growing knowledge gap in emerging technologies across tertiary institutions in Northern Nigeria.

He explained that the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, is the fourth institution to benefit from the programme after Bayero University Kano, KHAIRUN University and Baba Ahmed University.

According to him, findings by CITAD revealed that less than 10 per cent of universities in the region currently expose students to blockchain or financial technology-related courses.

“Lagos is already being recognised as Africa’s innovation capital, while Northern Nigeria still lags behind.

“Through this programme, we are taking innovation directly to universities to enable them to integrate these technologies into their curriculum and strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem,” he said.

Sabo added that the blockchain technology could be used beyond financial transactions, noting that institutions could deploy it to manage student records, track academic progress and improve examination processes.

A facilitator at the training and data analyst, Yusuf Babagana, said misconceptions surrounding cryptocurrency had contributed to the low level of awareness about the blockchain technology among academics.

“Some lecturers still believe cryptocurrency is a scam, and that perception discourages innovation.

“This workshop is meant to break such misconceptions and demonstrate how blockchain and fintech can contribute to societal development,” he said.

Declaring the workshop open, the provost of the college, Bashir Sabo Abubakar, described the training as a major step towards preparing lecturers for a technology-driven future.

“This is more than a workshop. It is a strategic effort to build the capacity of our staff and expose them to how technology can transform teaching, research and institutional administration,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of participants, the president of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), FCE (T) Bichi chapter, Ali Abubakar Ali, commended CITAD for organising the programme, describing it as timely and impactful.

Some of the participants at the workshop urged higher institutions across Northern Nigeria to prioritise digital innovation training to ensure lecturers and students remain globally competitive in the evolving knowledge economy.