The Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) has partnered with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to expand artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among young people and educators in underserved communities across Northern Nigeria.
The partnership will introduce the Experience AI programme in Adamawa, Borno, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in what the organisations describe as the first large-scale rollout of the programme across the region.
Under the initiative, 450 educators will be trained as certified Experience AI facilitators and equipped to teach AI lessons to an estimated 16,000 students and community beneficiaries across the participating locations.
The programme will introduce learners to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including how AI systems work, the responsible use of the technology and practical applications for addressing real-world challenges in underserved and rural communities.
Global Executive Director of AREAi, Prince Gideon Olanrewaju, said the partnership was aimed at ensuring that disadvantaged communities are not excluded from opportunities created by the rapid development of AI.
“This partnership is a testament to our resolve to enable access and opportunity for disadvantaged communities. We can’t afford to leave behind refugee populations and displaced learners in this AI revolution,” Olanrewaju said.
He added that the initiative would go beyond basic AI literacy by helping young people develop the ability to innovate, solve problems and contribute to their communities.
For the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the partnership is also focused on strengthening educators’ ability to teach AI.
Chief Executive Officer of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, Philip Colligan CBE, said the organisation was pleased to welcome AREAi to the Experience AI global network of partners.
“Working together with AREAi, we look forward to equipping teachers with the skills needed to teach AI confidently, ensuring it’s both engaging and relevant for their students,” Colligan said.
The partnership comes as AI becomes increasingly relevant to areas including education, healthcare, agriculture, public services and employment. The organisations said expanding foundational AI literacy is therefore important to ensuring that young people can understand and participate in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
The Experience AI programme was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind. It provides free educational resources designed to help teachers and young people understand AI and machine learning, including how the technologies work and their potential benefits and risks.
The programme’s resources include lesson plans, presentation materials, worksheets and videos for educators. Its curriculum also addresses responsible and ethical considerations surrounding AI.
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The Raspberry Pi Foundation said in April 2026 that Experience AI had trained more than 30,000 educators, with those educators estimated to reach 2.9 million young people across more than 180 countries. The programme also had partners in 38 countries and resources available in 19 languages at the time.
The new AREAi partnership will extend that global network into communities in Northern Nigeria, with a particular focus on rural, humanitarian and underserved populations.
Anna Koivuniemi, Head of the Google DeepMind Impact Accelerator, said the Nigerian rollout would give more young people an opportunity to understand and engage with AI.
“As AI continues to shape our world, every young Nigerian must have the chance to learn more about and engage with this transformative technology,” Koivuniemi said.
She said wider access to AI education could help young people make informed decisions about the use of AI in their daily lives while encouraging safe and responsible engagement with the technology.
For AREAi, the partnership forms part of its wider work to improve access to quality education among underserved populations, including communities affected by rural isolation, conflict and displacement.
The organisations said the initiative is intended to help reduce disparities in access to technology education and give young people in participating communities an opportunity to develop foundational AI knowledge.
AI Writer
Bio: Joseph Michael is an MBA graduate in Marketing from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and a passionate tech enthusiast. As a professional writer and author at AIbase.ng, he simplifies complex AI concepts, explores digital innovation, and creates practical guides for Nigerian learners and businesses. With a background in marketing and brand communication, Joseph brings clarity, insight, and real-world relevance to every article he writes.