UNILAG X OpenAI Academy: History in The Making

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is doing something next week that proves that her ‘university of first choice’ alias is not just a fluke. The school is making history by becoming the first Nigerian university to formally host OpenAI Academy as part of its groundbreaking 2025 International Week, running from October 13-17, 2025. This milestone represents a pivotal moment for artificial intelligence development in Africa, positioning Nigeria at the forefront of global AI education and innovation.

Historic Collaboration Takes Center Stage

The centerpiece of this unprecedented partnership is the UNILAG-OpenAI Fireside Chat scheduled for October 16, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium on UNILAG's main campus in Akoka. There, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI's Africa Lead, will discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming learning, creativity, and innovation across the continent.​

This collaboration emerges within the broader theme of UNILAG's 5th International Week: "Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa". The week-long event brings together global technology leaders, policymakers, academics, and innovators to explore Africa's role in the growth and development of AI in the world.

Stellar Lineup of Global and Regional Leaders

In terms of keynote speakers and other guests, UNILAG is pulling her weight…AGAIN. This event isn’t bringing any ordinary speaker, they’re rather assembling the A-list of global technology, finance, and policy leaders:

• Emmanuel Lubanzadio - OpenAI's Africa Lead (The man steering OpenAI’s strategy for an entire continent!)

• Yvonne Ike - Managing Director & Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, Bank of America.

• Prof. Steve West - Vice-Chancellor, University of West of England.

• Prof. Diana Mitlin - CEO, African Cities Research Consortium, University of Manchester.

• Massimo De Luca - Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

Additional distinguished participants include Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founding Partner of Future Africa, and Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS. This one no be small thing!

UNILAG's Distinguished AI Legacy

UNILAG being OpenAI Academy’s first Nigerian university partner reflects its established excellence in artificial intelligence research and education. In other words, as far as the Artificial Intelligence space is concerned, no be today them start! UNILAG boasts so many impressive credentials such as:

Academic Achievements

• Winner of “AI School of the Year" award at the 2019 DSN AI Bootcamp, recording the highest number of students in Kaggle competitions among Nigerian universities​

• First place winners in Nigeria at Africa's biggest Inter-University Machine Learning Hackathon (2020)​

• Recipient of CAD 1.248 million grant from Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for AI research.

Research Infrastructure:
UNILAG also operates the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory (NAIL), focusing on three key areas:​

• Foundational language models for local languages (Yoruba and Hausa)

• Personalized learning systems tailored to the Nigerian context

• Ethical considerations in AI application to education

Young Innovation Takes Spotlight

The event will showcase emerging African innovators, including Adeleke Eniola, a final-year Applied Physics student at UNILAG and creator of RiaScope; an AI-powered diagnostic tool designed to detect malaria affordably in low-resource communities. Her work exemplifies the promise of local innovation in addressing public health challenges through accessible technology.

Global Recognition and International Partnerships

Emmanuel Lubanzadio's participation represents significant validation of Nigeria's AI potential. The former UNICEF’s policy advisor has been instrumental in fostering partnerships that unlock AI's transformative potential across the continent, noting that "over 500 million people and businesses globally use ChatGPT weekly, and Africa is a part of that".

Educational Transformation and Policy Development

The collaboration comes as UNILAG develops comprehensive policies for ethical AI use in academia. The university is finalizing policy documents to guide AI application in academic activities, emphasizing enhancement of critical thinking rather than fostering plagiarism. This proactive approach positions UNILAG as a leader in responsible AI integration in higher education.

Implications for African AI Development

1. Educational Impact: This collaboration establishes precedent for AI integration in African higher education, provides model for other continental universities, and accelerates AI skills development among Nigerian students.

2. Economic Implications: It also positions Nigeria as regional AI hub, attracts international technology investments, and supports the country’s goal of AI contributing $15B to GDP by 2030.

3. Continental Leadership: UNILAG being the major stakeholder in this development demonstrates African university capacity for global partnerships. It also showcases indigenous AI innovation potential and provides template for responsible AI deployment across Africa.

Registration and Participation

The university community and general public are invited to participate in the week's activities. Registration for the UNILAG-OpenAI Fireside Chat can be done here. Additional event details and updates can be accessed through UNILAG's Office of International Relations, Partnerships & Prospects via [email protected].

KINI BIG DEAL (Why Does This Matter)

This groundbreaking collaboration between UNILAG and OpenAI Academy represents more than an academic milestone. It embodies Nigeria's commitment to leading Africa's AI transformation. As the continent seeks to avoid being merely consumers of AI technology developed elsewhere, partnerships like this demonstrate the potential for African institutions to become co-creators in the global AI ecosystem.

The success of this initiative could catalyze similar collaborations across Africa, establishing a network of AI-enabled universities that drive innovation, economic growth, and technological sovereignty across the continent. With Nigeria's National AI Strategy providing the policy foundation and UNILAG demonstrating practical implementation, this partnership may well be remembered as the moment Nigeria secured its position as Africa's AI education leader.