The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has announced plans to host the third International Conference on Open-Source Linux, Advanced Machine Learning, and Applied Interdisciplinary Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Research.
In a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, the Head of Media Unit, Mrs. Fatima Abubakar, said the landmark event, scheduled for November 2025 at the UBEC Centre in Abuja, aims to modernize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria and strengthen its role in the global artificial intelligence ecosystem.
According to Abubakar, the conference marks a major milestone in NBTE’s collaboration with MOC-LLC USA, a research and training organization based in the United States.
She said the partnership, initiated in 2024, was designed to enhance open-source, Linux-based, and applied machine learning and artificial intelligence competencies among polytechnic lecturers.
“The initiative positions Nigerian polytechnics as key drivers of innovation, applied research, and digital transformation in Africa,” Abubakar said.
She added that the programme was equipping educators and students with practical skills needed for employment and entrepreneurship in the evolving digital economy.
As part of its 2024 modernization strategy, NBTE launched the open-source training programme, Skills Beyond Degrees and Diplomas, which strengthened applied interdisciplinary STEM education with a focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and Linux-based technological solutions.
NBTE’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, said in Abuja that MOC-LLC USA was bringing world-class expertise in open-source systems, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to enhance Nigeria’s capacity for applied research and innovation.
He noted that the board expects the presentation of applied research outcomes at the November 2025 conference and plans to convert them into viable projects that would generate jobs and support entrepreneurship by 2026.
Abubakar disclosed that the programme’s reach had extended beyond Nigeria, with Kambolcha Polytechnic in Ethiopia joining the initiative — a development that signals growing regional cooperation in advancing technological education and research.
Dr. Ayalew Talema of Wollo University said Nigeria and Ethiopia must collaborate to equip Africans with essential machine learning and artificial intelligence skills to lead the continent’s technological transformation.
He commended Prof. Bugaje and MOC-LLC USA for extending the programme to Ethiopian lecturers, describing it as a vital step toward advancing interdisciplinary research and innovation across Africa.
MOC-LLC USA confirmed that the first cohort of trained lecturers would present applied research papers on Linux-based machine learning and artificial intelligence applications during the 2025 conference in Abuja.
A representative of MOC-LLC noted that while artificial intelligence and machine learning were not entirely new to Africans, the focus was now on strengthening applied knowledge and turning existing concepts into practical innovations.
The NBTE–MOC-LLC USA partnership, the statement added, represents a defining moment for technical education in Africa and reaffirms Prof. Bugaje’s commitment to fostering indigenous innovation, sustainable technologies, and job creation through applied interdisciplinary research.
