Generative AI Adoption and the Politics of Educational Governance in Nigeria: Policy Influence, Equity, and Power Dynamics
Onu Sebastine Chigozie, PhD, fmimps
Abstract
In today’s rapidly evolving digital era, generative artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education systems worldwide, shaping how policies are made, how governance structures operate, and how equity is pursued. While developed nations advance rapidly in AI integration, Nigeria faces both opportunities and challenges in aligning AI adoption with its educational governance framework. The paper examines generative AI adoption and the politics of educational governance in Nigeria with emphasis on policy influence, equity, and power dynamics. It dealt with how generative AI adoption is mediated by political processes, competing interests, and structural inequalities within Nigeria’s educational landscape. It emphasizes the role of equity in ensuring that AI tools enhance, rather than deepen, existing disparities between urban and rural learners. Furthermore, the paper explores how power dynamics among government agencies, private technology actors, and educational institutions influence both policy direction and implementation outcomes. Guided by Actor-Network Theory, the paper conceptualizes AI adoption as a negotiated process shaped by both human and non-human actors within networks of influence. The findings highlight persistent policy gaps, digital divides, and governance challenges that hinder inclusive adoption. The paper concludes with recommendations for equity-driven policies, participatory governance, and strengthened regulatory frameworks to ensure that AI adoption in Nigeria’s education sector advances both innovation and social justice.
Keywords
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