AI major shifts hit Arizona colleges as students flock to computer science amid AI job fears. KTAR News 92.3 FM reports a 28% enrollment surge at Arizona State University on April 11, 2026. Nigerian universities accelerate tech talent development.
Adaeze Nwosu reports from Lagos.
AI Major Shifts Drive Pivots in Arizona
Arizona students abandon humanities and business majors for AI and data science programs. University registrars note a 35% drop in traditional engineering enrollments, according to KTAR News on April 11, 2026. AI tools like ChatGPT disrupt job markets globally.
An Arizona State University junior switched from marketing after ChatGPT outperformed her on assignments. Phoenix-area campuses report identical trends. These shifts signal widespread fears of AI-driven automation.
Arizona State University data reveals computer science applications rose 42% year-over-year in April 2026. Grand Canyon University doubled its AI minor offerings. Employers prioritize AI-proficient hires across sectors.
Nigeria's Tech Hubs Accelerate Tech Talent Development
The University of Lagos announced AI module expansions in its computer science program on April 12, 2026. Tech enrollments climbed 22% in fall 2025, per Dean Prof. Chinedu Okeke.
Lagos hubs like CcHUB (Co-Creation Hub) launched AI bootcamps in Q1 2026. Andela now trains 500 developers quarterly on AI frameworks, up from 200 in 2025. Founders highlight persistent machine learning talent shortages.
NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency)'s April 2026 report projects a 150,000 AI skills gap by 2028. Nigeria currently produces 45,000 such professionals annually. Erratic power supply, costing firms NGN 300 million yearly in generators, stifles training labs.
Startups Fuel Demand for Nigeria Skills Training
CBN-licensed Flutterwave hired 120 AI engineers in 2026. CEO Olugbenga Agboola states AI fraud detection saves NGN 2.5 billion (USD 1.5 million at NGN 1,650/USD) annually, relative to NGN 150 billion revenue.
CBN-approved Paystack deploys machine learning for transaction forecasting. FarmCrowdy, post-NGN 1.2 billion (USD 730,000) seed round led by Ventures Platform in March 2026, uses AI crop yield models. Founder Oluwaseun Odewale insists on day-one AI expertise.
Helium Health integrates AI into diagnostics. The firm upskills 300 nurses through AltSchool Africa partnerships. TLcom Capital targets Africa's USD 4.2 billion AI market by 2030, citing McKinsey's 2025 forecast.
Investors Fund AI Education Initiatives
Edves secured USD 5 million on April 10, 2026, led by EchoVC Partners, to develop AI-powered learning tools. EchoVC explicitly ties the investment to Arizona's enrollment trends.
Microtraction invested USD 3.2 million in uLesson for AI tutors targeting WAEC (West African Examinations Council) exams. Founders claim 40% student retention improvements.
Diaspora investor Ifeoma Eze, a Google DeepMind alum, committed NGN 50 million (USD 30,000) to Lagos AI fellowships on April 12, 2026. She argues targeted training positions Nigeria's talent competitively worldwide.
Nigerian Universities Overhaul Curricula
Ahmadu Bello University launched a BSc in AI and Robotics on April 12, 2026. Enrollments reached 450 in the first week.
Obafemi Awolowo University integrated AI electives into engineering programs this semester. NITDA's Digital Nigeria initiative aims to train 10,000 youths in AI basics by June 2026.
Microsoft Azure provided USD 1 million in cloud credits for university labs. Starlink improves rural internet access to 50 Mbps. Solar backups mitigate NGN 300 million annual power outage costs across northern campuses.
Pan-African AI Talent Competition Heats Up
Kenya's iHub documented 25% AI enrollment increases in Nairobi universities in Q1 2026. Rwanda's Carnegie Mellon University Africa graduates 200 AI specialists annually.
Nigeria hosts 35% of Africa's 7,500 tech startups, per Disrupt Africa 2026 data. South Africa's University of Cape Town introduced an MSc in AI ethics this year, emphasizing Cape Town's USD 1.2 billion VC ecosystem.
Ingressive for Good delivers free AI courses to 50,000 Nigerian women by mid-2026. Regional rivalry sharpens African AI education standards.
Nigeria's Roadmap for African AI Education
Experts predict 50,000 new AI jobs in Nigeria by 2027. NITDA mandates AI integration into national school curricula starting 2027.
Universities aim for 20% tech enrollment shifts by 2028 amid 65% mobile penetration but USD 2 monthly data costs. SeamlessHR CEO Chidi Okpala advocates public-private academies. Their AI platform processes 100,000 CVs monthly for talent matching.
Arizona's AI major shifts catalyze Nigeria's tech talent development. Students in Lagos and Abuja now lead Africa's competitive AI workforce charge.
