The Odu’a Investment Foundation has trained more than 4,500 students in artificial intelligence (AI), coding and other digital skills through its Byte Busters Coding Club, expanding access to technology education across Southwest Nigeria.
The initiative, implemented under the Digital Education for Innovation and Economic Development (DEFINED) Project, is designed to prepare young people, particularly those attending public schools, for opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
Professor Seun Kolade, Project Director of DEFINED, disclosed the figures during the second edition of the Byte Busters Showcase 2026, held at the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to Kolade, the programme has expanded considerably since its first showcase in 2025, when approximately 100 pupils participated across nine centres. It now operates in 20 centres covering 18 local government areas across the six Southwest states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti.
More than 220 students were also expected to participate in the 2026 showcase, where young learners had the opportunity to demonstrate technology-based solutions they had developed through their training.
The projects presented at the event highlighted how students are beginning to apply their digital knowledge to challenges affecting their communities.
Among the innovations were an artificial intelligence-powered Computer-Based Testing (CBT) platform, an application designed to support tomato farmers, an emergency response system, a sign language application and an AI-powered marketplace for local traders.
Other projects focused on reducing post-harvest maize losses and developing a Yoruba-English translation tool.
These innovations demonstrate the potential of introducing practical technology education at an early age, particularly when students are encouraged to identify everyday problems and explore digital solutions rather than simply learn programming concepts.
Kolade said the programme was established to encourage young Nigerians to become creators of technology instead of remaining consumers of products developed elsewhere.
The foundation has also extended its intervention beyond students by introducing a Digital Literacy Training for Teachers programme.
The first cohort attracted 72 teachers, of whom 67 successfully completed the training. Through a train-the-trainer approach, the initiative aims to reach 3,000 teachers before the end of 2026.
The approach is expected to strengthen digital teaching capacity and help more schools introduce technology-based learning into their educational activities.
Odu’a Foundation Seeks Wider Support for Digital Education
Speaking at the showcase, Chairman of the Odu’a Investment Foundation Advisory Council, Ambassador Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, emphasised the importance of preparing young people to participate actively in the development of emerging technologies.
She commended the students, teachers, mentors and school administrators involved in the programme, while calling on the six Southwest state governments, private organisations and philanthropists to support its expansion.
The Group Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Dr Tajudeen Tola Kasali, represented by Lady Otunba Debola Osinbogun, also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to regional development through investments in education, healthcare and youth empowerment.
Meanwhile, the company’s Group Managing Director, Abdulrahman Yinusa, said access to practical digital education remained uneven, particularly among public school students.
He stressed that a child’s future opportunities should not be determined by the school they attend or the resources available in their immediate environment.
The foundation is therefore seeking additional partnerships to provide computers, reliable internet connectivity, suitable learning facilities and sustainable funding for the programme.
Back Story: How the DEFINED Project Started
The DEFINED Project was introduced in October 2023 by the Odu’a Investment Foundation, the non-profit social impact arm of Odu’a Investment Company Limited.
Its central objective is to improve access to digital education across Southwest Nigeria through coding clubs, technology-focused learning activities and innovation opportunities for young people.
The Byte Busters Coding Club serves as one of its flagship programmes, providing public school students with opportunities to develop practical digital skills and explore technology as a tool for solving real-world problems.
The initiative initially focused on establishing coding clubs across the region, with the longer-term ambition of extending digital education opportunities to all 137 local government areas in the six Southwest states.
Its expansion to 20 centres and more than 4,500 learners represents significant progress towards that ambition.
The foundation’s latest efforts also recognise that expanding digital education requires more than providing students with access to computers. Teachers must equally possess the knowledge and confidence to integrate technology into classroom learning.
With its student training and teacher development programmes running alongside each other, the DEFINED Project is positioning digital literacy as an important part of educational development in the region.
Digital Skills Training and the Future of Nigerian Education
The expansion of the Byte Busters Coding Club comes at a time when artificial intelligence, software development and digital literacy are becoming increasingly important to education and employment.
For Nigeria, introducing these skills through public schools could help more young people access opportunities in technology without depending entirely on expensive private training programmes.
However, sustaining the initiative will require continued investment in digital infrastructure, teacher development and access to practical learning resources.
The Odu’a Foundation’s latest milestone highlights the importance of connecting classroom education with the technological skills young Nigerians will need to participate in the global digital economy.
