Artificial Intelligence. Photo: Jobaaj Learnings
Industry leaders have called for greater investment in artificial intelligence skills, education and African storytelling, arguing that the continent must develop its own talent and intellectual property to compete in the global digital economy rather than remain a consumer of foreign technologies.
The call was made on Tuesday at Claiming Tomorrow: The Next Gen Collective, a forum organised by creative technology, education and content studio, Nsibidi Fables, in Lagos. The event brought together educators, technology leaders, filmmakers, creatives, policymakers, investors and business executives to examine how AI, education and the creative industries can shape Africa’s future.
Founder of Nsibidi Fables, Tony Effik, said Africa should take an active role in defining the future of AI instead of waiting for technological advances to emerge elsewhere.
“Today is our time to dream together. If nobody knows the future, why can’t we make the future ourselves? Why not us? We’ve created things in the past like the Nsibidi Writing System and the Ifa Binary System and then discarded that potential. No more discarded potential,” he said.
Effik said Africa’s history of innovation demonstrates its capacity to contribute meaningfully to emerging technologies, urging governments, businesses and educators to build on that legacy through investment in AI and digital skills.
Discussions at the event centred on the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, with participants agreeing that stronger education systems, wider access to technology and sustained investment in AI-enabled creative industries would be essential for Africa to remain competitive.
Education featured prominently during the discussions as speakers explored how AI could help address learning gaps across the continent. According to UNESCO, Sub-Saharan Africa will require an additional 15 million teachers by 2030 to achieve universal basic education, underscoring the need for technology-enabled learning solutions.
Proprietor of Dream Schools International, Regina Ezefuna, said AI-assisted learning had improved students’ critical thinking, collaboration and decision-making skills.
“Parents did not believe their children produced the work they created using AI. It strengthened critical thinking, decision making, collaboration and emotional intelligence. The students wanted these classes every day. This is only the beginning,” she said.
Participants also examined the growing role of artificial intelligence in animation and film production. While views differed on the extent to which AI should be integrated into creative processes, there was broad agreement that technology should complement, rather than replace, human creativity.
Chief Brand Officer at Nsibidi Fables, Perky Noah-Effik, said the company remained committed to a human-centred approach to AI.
“Whether we are operating as a production studio or scaling an EdTech platform, our mission remains the same. Technology is a powerful tool, but it is never the author. Human-in-the-loop will continue to define everything we build,” she said.
During the event, the company outlined plans to expand Nsibidi Academy, its technology-enabled tutoring marketplace, and further develop proprietary AI-assisted creative tools aimed at supporting African creators and learners.
It also disclosed that AI-supported production workflows have reduced animation production timelines from six months to four weeks while maintaining creative quality through human oversight.
The discussions come as Africa’s creative economy continues to expand. Nigeria’s music industry generated nearly $395 million from international tours and performances in 2025, while streaming platforms paid more than ₦58 billion in royalties to Nigerian artists between 2023 and 2024. Nollywood also remains one of the world’s largest film industries by output.
Speakers said harnessing AI alongside education and locally developed intellectual property could help Africa capture a larger share of the rapidly growing global digital economy while creating jobs and strengthening the continent’s creative industries.
Justice has over three years experience spanning digital and print media. At The PUNCH, he currently covers the automobile sector with special interest in features and industry analysis.
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