Details As Jigawa, Bayelsa Lead Global Education Revolution

Jigawa and Bayelsa States have emerged at the forefront of what education experts describe as a global revolution in learning management, becoming among the first education systems in the world to deploy a new artificial intelligence platform that enables government officials to monitor and manage public education performance in real time.

The breakthrough was unveiled at the Education World Forum 2026 in London, where education leaders from the two states joined ministers and policymakers from more than 100 countries to discuss the future of artificial intelligence in education.

The technology, known as Cognition, allows education administrators to access system-wide intelligence across thousands of schools through simple natural language prompts.

Officials can instantly obtain information on attendance, learning outcomes, teacher performance, programme implementation and school operations—tasks that previously required days or even weeks of manual data gathering and analysis.

Speaking at the forum, President and Co-Founder of NewGlobe, Dr. Shannon May, said the emergence of artificial intelligence presents a significant opportunity for countries building modern education systems without the burden of outdated infrastructure.

“The greatest opportunity in this new age of AI may be in systems that are building from scratch, free to design education infrastructure for the future rather than repair the past. We are not trying to fix a 20-year-old siloed, cobbled digital system. We are building from scratch in the age of AI,” she said.

According to her, while global conversations on artificial intelligence have largely focused on chatbots, digital tutors and classroom applications, the real opportunity lies in deploying the technology to strengthen entire education systems.

She explained that AI can provide education leaders with instant visibility into what is happening across thousands of schools, enabling governments to make faster and better-informed decisions capable of improving learning outcomes for millions of children.

Observers say the deployment of the technology in Jigawa and Bayelsa reflects Africa’s increasing ability to leapfrog legacy systems and embrace next-generation innovations. Just as mobile banking transformed access to financial services across the continent, artificial intelligence is now creating new possibilities for education management and delivery.

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education described the technology as a game changer for public sector decision-making, saying it provides immediate access to critical information needed to drive reforms and improve performance.

“Cognition is interactive. You can interact with the system and get solutions. For example, if I receive a call from the Governor and need to know how far we have gone, where the gaps are, what the challenges are, or where our strengths lie, I simply interact with Cognition and get the answers. Every piece of information I need is available instantly and in real time. I am delighted that we have this system,” he said.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board expressed optimism that artificial intelligence would help tackle longstanding challenges affecting teaching and learning in schools across the state.

“What really excited me is the use of AI in our schools for teachers. I have seen what it can do. It is going to address many of the challenges that have been affecting learning. My take-home is the effective utilisation of AI for improvement of learning outcomes for our learners,” he said.

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, also welcomed the innovation, describing it as a major step forward for the country’s education reform agenda.

“NewGlobe is currently supporting foundational learning in several states of our country and we have seen significant results. I am very impressed with the ability to infuse AI into the platform to help in areas such as teacher feedback, coaching and system activation. There is no doubt this is the way of the future. If we choose the right way to use AI, it will profoundly change how we deliver education to our students,” the minister said.
With Jigawa and Bayelsa already operating the technology, Nigeria is increasingly being viewed as one of the first countries globally to implement AI-powered education intelligence at scale within public school systems.

The development is expected to strengthen oversight, improve accountability and support evidence-based decision-making across schools, while placing Nigeria at the centre of a new wave of education innovation driven by artificial intelligence.

Analysts say the initiative demonstrates how governments can harness emerging technologies not only to improve classroom teaching and learning but also to transform the way entire education systems are managed, monitored and strengthened for future generations.