In a world where the hum of technology is re-shaping the rhythm of human progress, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) once again stands where history and innovation meet by hosting the first ever OpenAI Academy in Africa. Tagged UNILAG–OpenAI Academy, the 2-day event was held on Wednesday, October 14 and Thursday, October 15, 2025 as part of the 5th UNILAG International Week.
The UNILAG–OpenAI Academy brought together about one hundred and twenty (120) minds eager to explore the vast possibilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It was designed to equip students, researchers, and professionals with the skills to thrive in an AI-powered world.
Indeed, having it hosted in Nigeria, at the Akoka Campus of the University, stands as a symbol of UNILAG’s readiness to shape Africa’s voice in the global digital transformation. It also placed in record yet another milestone in UNILAG’s legacy as the University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Charge: Preparing for the Future, Today
At the heart of the opening session was Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, OON, FAS, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, whose address was both visionary and challenging. Capturing the essence of the moment with her signature grace and conviction, she described artificial intelligence as “a tool of the 21st century,” one that curates data, draws new deductions, and must be used to advance innovation, not to replace it.
“AI is not something you use in terms of cut and paste. It’s supposed to ginger you and move you forward,” she charged participants.
Describing UNILAG’s equitable partnership with OpenAI to host the first OpenAI Academy as another stride in the institution’s vision to remain a catalyst for innovation, Professor Ogunsola noted that while artificial intelligence is changing the nature of work and knowledge, universities must guide learners to use it responsibly and creatively.
“Artificial Intelligence is not here to replace us,” she affirmed. “It is here to expand what is possible.” She averred that the duty of a university therefore lies in ensuring that every learner becomes a thinker, a creator, and a responsible custodian of the future.
Professor Ogunsola’s message set the tone for the day, as it challenged participants to move from awareness to understanding and from understanding to purposeful innovation. She warned that the algorithms shaping global data often carry biases against Africa, and that the continent must take ownership of its digital future. “Our job is to develop Africa,” she emphasized. “We cannot just sit down and let others feed data into the system for us, else we become slaves to their opinions.”
Her words echoed a deep conviction that Africa’s innovation must be authentic and locally inspired. “We have the capacity, we have the people; what we now need is the determination and the resilience and the ethics, and the recognition that we must be our brothers’ keepers,” she continued. Proffering insights on how Africans already have the raw materials to gain determination and resilience, Professor Ogunsola pointed out that “We are forged in problems. Now for many people, problems are a problem. But actually, problems build creativity and resilience. So that when we innovate, we innovate for survival! And when you innovate for survival in a constrained environment, you innovate in a way that is extremely cost effective.”
The Vice-Chancellor’s charge did not end without reminding participants of their roots. It went beyond academics; it was a call to awaken courage and community. “Remember, that one of our greatest resources is our sense of community; I am, because you are,” she said, affirming the Ubuntu philosophy that underpins Africa’s collective strength.
Learning, Unlearning, and Re-imagining
Across both days, facilitators such as Dr. Ebun-Oluwa Fasina, Dr. Oladipupo Sennaike, and Dr. Victor Odumuyiwa guided participants through sessions on Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Generative AI; AI ethics and responsible AI; and AI Tools for real world applications.
During one of the interactive sessions, Professor Ismail Ibraheem, Director of the International Relations, Partnerships, and Prospects Office (IRPP), anchored a conversation between participants and a delegation of EU Ambassadors led by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot. The dialogue reflected UNILAG’s global outlook and its commitment to partnerships that expand opportunities for its academic community.
Started with Purpose, Piqued Interest with Storytelling, and Ignited with Action: The Making of UNILAG-OpenAI Academy
One may wonder, how did the choice of UNILAG as the first host of OpenAI Academy in Africa even come to be? It started with purpose!
The birth and actualisation of what is now known as the UNILAG-OpenAI Academy started with a purpose-driven team from the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science at the University of Lagos a while back. The team had just completed a workshop on machine learning and artificial intelligence when one of the team members, Dr Babatunde Sawyerr took to LinkedIn to share his thoughts on the team’s achievement.
This was what piqued the interest of Emmanuel Lubanzadi, the Africa Lead, OpenAI, Global Affairs. With further interactions, meeting at international forums and continuous discussions; this equitable partnership between the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and OpenAI was brought to life.
The actions of one man, Dr Babatunde Sawyerr, backed by a thriving community at the University of Lagos has again, opened Africa to the world. Indeed, if the future of education is being rewritten in code, then the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has begun scripting Africa’s own story through this strategic move.
Mindful of the lasting impact the story of the actualisation of the feat can have, Dr Sawyerr, made certain that it did not fly over participants’ heads. He charged participants at the workshop to seize the opportunity of the UNILAG-OpenAI Academy to not only improve their learning but also to network across all levels of engagement: horizontally among their peers, vertically with facilitators and organisers, and diagonally across different disciplines and fields. This, Dr Sawyerr asserted, will help position participants and people in general for great opportunities, as he emphasised on the importance of horizontal networking.
UNILAG, A Fertile Ground and Springboard: The Launch of ChatGPT Go
One of the peak moments on the first day of the UNILAG-OpenAI Academy was when Dr Babatunde Sawyerr and Emmanuel Lubanzadio announced the launch of ChatGPT Go.
The ChatGPT Go plan was first introduced in India in August 2025, with the goal to help democratise access to artificial intelligence (AI). Now the same plan has made its debut on the African continent and was first announced at the UNILAG-OpenAI Academy held in the University of Lagos, the first ever OpenAI Academy in Africa.
Beyond the efforts made by Dr Sawyerr and his team, Nigeria was selected as the first country in Africa to host an OpenAI Academy due to its vibrant tech ecosystem and the University of Lagos ranked 1st among such perfect fertile grounds for ideas and innovation to sprout and flourish. UNILAG has indeed served as the springboard to launch ChatGPT Go to the African community.
ChatGPT Go is a subscription plan that allows Africans to pay low-cost geographically based subscription for expanded access to ChatGPT’s most popular features. This affordable pricing is relative to whichever African country one is using ChatGPT Go from.
Before the launch, the lowest paid subscription plan available to Africans was ChatGPT Plus, which in Nigeria, cost ₦31,500 per month. With the introduction of ChatGPT Go, Nigerians can now get extended access to ChatGPT’s flagship model GPT-5 and other extended features at the rate of ₦7000 per month.
This plan also applies to other African countries in relation to their unique currencies; for example ChatGPT Go in South Africa goes for R149. Ultimately it costs between $4.5 and $5 depending on the country’s currency exchange policies.
ChatGPT 101: Learning from the Source
On the second day, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Africa Lead, OpenAI, Global Affairs, demonstrated how to use ChatGPT effectively; from research and writing to automation and data analysis. Throughout the session, he emphasised the importance of using AI as an assistant, not a replacement for human capability.
He addressed concerns about data privacy and transparency, clarifying that users own their inputs and outputs, and OpenAI does not train its models on personal user data. A lively debate followed about AI’s impact on jobs, ending in a consensus: AI will not replace people; it will enhance what people can do.
It was indeed refreshing to learn from a ChatGPT insider, to get better insights on how to prompt and derive desired results from using the AI model. In fact, the event compere, Dr. Adetoun Akitoye, Best Ph.D. Thesis Awardee of UNILAG Class of 2024, drew attention to the immense privilege of attending the training free of charge. While pointing out that similar AI sessions elsewhere cost over a thousand dollars, Dr. Akitoye encouraged participants to value the opportunity, knowing that someone, somewhere, bore the cost of their access to knowledge.
Other Voices Added Depth to the Conversation
Dr. Olayinka O. Adewumi, Acting Director of the Innovation & Technology Management Office (ITMO), University of Lagos, urged participants to use AI “in ways that create opportunities for others.”
A student’s voice from the crowd summed up the mood: “As AI is advancing, you are advancing.”
Adding institutional perspective, Dr. Chika Yinka Banjo, Acting Head of the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Informatics, UNILAG, affirmed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) is already working to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into all academic programmes across Nigeria.
International guest, Dr. Matthew Waritay Guah, Professor of Management and Dean for College of Business & Information Systems, South Carolina State University, offered perspectives on harnessing AI to improve learning outcomes. Addressing a participant’s curiosity on whether one can only be relevant or accomplished if he or she study abroad, Dr Guah shared a poignant reminder: “Life is what you make of it, not where you make it. The quality of who you are determines the quality of opportunities you attract.”
Gratitude for Opportunities Given: Dr Sawyerr’s Ode to UNILAG and OpenAI Leadership
Dr. Sawyerr, speaking on behalf of the organising committee and OpenAI, described the partnership as “an important milestone in our quest to equip our students and faculty with 21st-century digital skills.” He reminded participants that “AI is no longer science fiction; it is here with us, and it is shaping how we learn, teach, research, and solve real-life problems.” From algorithms powering healthcare and environmental monitoring to the same language models that can write essays, he noted that UNILAG’s vision is to be more than a consumer of technology, “but a creator, an innovator, and a researcher driving Africa’s AI future.”
On behalf of the organising team, he expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, OON, FAS, and the University Management for their support, as well as OpenAI for its commitment in making the workshop possible. To the over 120 physical and online participants, he offered a challenge: “This journey begins here at UNILAG; stay focused and be part of a new era.”
A Legacy Illuminated by Enlightenment
By the end of the two-day Academy, one truth remained; this was not just a workshop, it was the beginning of a movement. A movement that believes Africa can leapfrog into the future through innovation grounded in authenticity, resilience, and community.
And just as Professor Ogunsola encouraged, “Hard is not a problem, it is what propels you to the top. Don’t believe that your ideas don’t matter because it doesn’t fit the narrative. If you have an idea, work on it.”, Africans are called to challenge the status quo, change the narrative, and play our part in positioning Africa as future leaders in the AI revolution by acting today and utilising artificial intelligence responsibly.
The UNILAG–OpenAI Academy stands as both symbol and spark; proof that when vision meets opportunity, Africa’s story of innovation begins to write itself in its own code.
Click the play buttons in the two (2) YouTube videos below for visual highlights of the event.
Author: Nike Ogunshakin
Photographer: Maleeq Quadri
Photo Editor: Ayomide Sowemimo
Article Editor: Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem
Video Content Creators: Nike Ogunshakin and Diana Ajiboyewa
2 responses
Hummm . This is a good thing coming from Africa. Continuing will take this initiative to a greater height. Congratulations Team. God Almighty will increase your knowledge, wisdom, understanding and commitment to reality of your dreams.
Excellent innovation,
UNILAG champions a course in Africa