LEVERAGING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO ENHANCE TEACHER COMPETENCE IN NIGERIA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM: TECHNOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Nigeria’s education system faces persistent challenges of teacher competence, inadequate 
digital infrastructure, and systemic inequities that limit effective teaching and learning. 
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity to address these gaps by 
supporting adaptive instruction, automating professional development, and enhancing 
pedagogical decision-making. However, its integration remains constrained by 
infrastructural limitations, low digital literacy, and sociocultural barriers. This study 
develops a conceptual framework for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into 
Nigeria’s education sector, emphasizing its transformative potential in enhancing teacher 
competence and advancing systemic outcomes. The framework is structured around four 
interrelated constructs: technological and sociological readiness, teacher professional 
development, AI-enhanced teacher competence, and student and system outcomes. This 
study explored how AI can be inclusively positioned to strengthen teacher capacity. It 
adopts a dual-lens framework: the technological perspective, focusing on tools, 
platforms, and infrastructure; and the sociological perspective, emphasizing on teacher 
attitudes, equity of access, and systemic readiness. The research addresses a critical gap 
by contextualizing AI adoption within Nigeria’s unique educational realities, rather than 
relying on global models that may not align with local needs. The study found out that 
inclusive and context-sensitive AI strategies are essential to ensure teacher empowerment, reduce inequalities, and foster resilience within Nigeria’s education 
system. The study concludes that AI adoption in Nigerian education requires a holistic 
approach that balances technology, human expertise, and sociocultural realities. It 
recommends that investing in robust infrastructure, sustained professional development, 
and inclusive policies in Nigeria educational system can leverage AI to reduce 
educational inequalities and align with global innovations.