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By Tracy Moses
Nigeria must urgently prepare its young population for a future dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) or risk being left behind, according to Mr. Chibuike Aguene, Chief Executive Officer of Bildup AI. He said the nation’s competitiveness in the global economy will depend on how well it embraces hybrid intelligence, a synergy between human creativity and machine capability.
Appearing on AriseTV’s Newsnight on Saturday, Aguene said the world has entered a defining era where Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing work, innovation, and productivity. He observed that top global executives are already investing heavily in AI technologies and recording significant breakthroughs.
“We’re not just witnessing another wave of technology,” Aguene said. “This is a total redefinition of the workforce, a time when human intellect merges with machine intelligence to create what we call hybrid intelligence. The worker of the future will be superhuman, blending human intuition and creativity with automation and machine learning.”
He noted that while previous innovations, from aviation to smartphones, stemmed from human brilliance, the AI era introduces a new paradigm where technology amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.
“Across the globe, CEOs are committing huge resources to AI, and the impact is already visible,” he continued. “This isn’t something for the distant future; it’s happening now. But Africa, and Nigeria in particular, faces a challenge, many of our young people are still developing basic human-level skills while the world is moving towards hybrid intelligence. We must catch up fast.”
Aguene cautioned that the next generation of professionals must learn to collaborate with AI rather than fear it. He urged Nigerian companies to start rethinking their operations, retraining their workforce, and redesigning job roles to align with emerging realities.
“AI has become a business imperative,” he emphasized. “Any organization that believes it can thrive without integrating AI is living in denial. The critical question today is: how do we retrain, re-skill, and hire people who can work intelligently with machines?”
He called on policymakers and educators to prioritize investments in skill development and AI-focused learning, emphasizing that Nigeria’s education system must evolve to prepare students for a technology-driven world.
“Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic idea, it’s our present reality,” Aguene said. “We need to overhaul our educational framework to promote hybrid intelligence. No Nigerian university currently teaches courses on ‘superhuman’ or ‘hybrid’ intelligence, yet that’s where the world is headed.”
Aguene illustrated his point with a relatable example:
“Think of a customer service employee working from 9 to 5. On their own, their productivity has limits. But with AI tools augmenting their capacity, they can accomplish in a few weeks what used to take months. That’s the essence of augmentation.”
He projected that concepts such as superhuman and hybrid intelligence will soon become commonplace as industries adopt AI-powered systems globally. To achieve this transformation, he said, Nigeria must foster collaboration between government, private institutions, and the tech ecosystem.
“This movement cannot succeed in isolation,” he stressed. “At Bildup AI, we are already building solutions that help people acquire AI-driven skills, empowering them to deliver superhuman performance in their fields.”
Aguene concluded with a warning and a call to action, “We are standing at the edge of a new age,” he said. “If we fail to prepare our youth for hybrid intelligence, we risk wasting a generation of talent. But if we act now, Nigeria can position itself as a continental leader in the AI revolution.”