Startup empowers 3,000 students with STEM skills

An edtech startup, Product Hub Africa, said it is intensifying efforts to bridge Africa’s artificial intelligence talent gap by equipping thousands of students with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills needed to compete globally.

Through its Stem-A-School initiative, the startup has trained over 3,000 Nigerian students in STEM disciplines, aiming to foster a new generation of innovators prepared for the demands of the digital economy.

According to a statement on Sunday, the founder of Stem-A-School and Product Hub Africa, Victoria Oladosu, made this known at the startup’s 2025 STEM Conference held at Nile University, Abuja. The event connected students with experts in robotics, aerospace, and artificial intelligence.

She said edtech is on a mission to nurture innovators from a young age. “More people need to build careers in STEM and become innovators if Nigeria and Africa won’t be left behind in the global AI race,” said Oladosu.

She added, “STEM is the difference between where we are in Africa and where we want to be. Yes, we still need lawyers and doctors, but more young people need to explore core STEM paths.”

The founder added that the initiative has visited several tertiary and pre-tertiary institutions to introduce students to emerging technologies and has so far upskilled about 3,000 students.

With Nigeria’s median age around 18, the country is banking on its youth population to harness the opportunities in AI, which is projected to add $15bn to the nation’s economy by 2030.

According to Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani, training this demographic is key to achieving that goal.

In its draft National AI Strategy, Nigeria outlined plans to equip 70 per cent of its young workforce (aged 16–35) with AI-related skills in a bid to reduce unemployment by five percentage points.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported a five per cent unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2023, with only 7.7 per cent of jobs in the formal sector. The strategy document emphasised that a highly skilled AI workforce is critical to building a thriving ecosystem.

Experts argue that building an AI-ready workforce requires a multi-tiered approach: educating future talent, training the current workforce, and attracting both local and international expertise. For Oladosu, the first layer is the priority.

“We have so many unskilled young people in Nigeria, and getting them into STEM should be a priority,” she said.

Dean of the Faculty of Computing at Nile University, Joshua Abah, echoed this sentiment. “What AI does is improve productivity and efficiency,” he said, stressing the importance of developing innovation in the sector.

Other speakers at the conference emphasised the need for Nigeria to lead Africa’s transition into the fourth industrial revolution.

Oladosu noted that Product Hub Africa’s mission is expanding beyond northern Nigeria.

“When we invest in STEM education, especially for young people and girls, we are not just teaching skills—we are unlocking futures,” she said.

“This is why we will be visiting six universities in Osun State—Redeemer’s University, Adeleke University, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oduduwa University, Osun State University, and Bowen University—to upskill students in STEM courses this May,” she added.