By Isaac Olufemi Ojo
The immediate past president of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has advised the Nigerian government to ensure that education is treated not merely as a social expenditure, but as a critical investment in a nation’s productive capacity.
Dr. Adesina disclosed this today while delivering the maiden lecture at the Seyi Tinubu Colloquium held in Lagos.
He noted that it is imperative for African leaders to pay attention to investing in the human mind, as this remains the ultimate infrastructure which, when fully built, makes an individual self-sufficient. “Education is an investment in the productive capacity of a nation. When we innovate a child, we are to the start of human capability. When we build a university, elaborate to your technical institution, we create the infrastructure so that that capability can grow. Education will help you to break all barriers” He said.
While noting that Africa’s young population should not be seen as a sign of weakness or a liability, he maintained that the inability to invest in quality education is the true liability.
Emphasizing that education is an investment in the productive capacity of a nation, he maintained that when education is connected to technology, capital, and markets, it turns knowledge into productive capacity.
However, he charged the African government to ensure that it safeguards the value of human capital already invested in order to maximize the returns on its vibrant population.
“Think about the scale of that opportunity. Hundreds of millions of minds, hundreds of millions of talents, hundreds of millions of possibilities. That is an asset we are building.But an asset must also be protected. An educated mind without health cannot reach its potential,A young person whose wealth is neglected cannot develop the capabilities they have fully. That is why nutrition, health care, and social protection matters quite a lot. “he said.
In the same vein, he charged young Africans to be proactive in contributing their quota to mastering Artificial Intelligence development, as their input is important in designing applications in African languages to solve social problems in agriculture, healthcare, and business.
“What can AI become when African minds steps to shift it? What will AI look like when it is designed in African languages? We must be a creator, an adapter, and not a shepherd of AI. We must do so responsibly, ensuring that technology expands opportunity, strengthens human capability, and does not deepen inequality. The future of AI is in Africa, but it will not be AI that simply happens to you.” he said.
You will have to determine what it becomes.
