Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The House of Representatives has thrown its weight behind the ongoing review of the National Blockchain Education Programme curriculum to equip Nigerians with practical skills for the emerging digital economy.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Delegated Legislation, Hon. Richard Bamisile, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during the flag-off of the curriculum review meeting organised by the Blockchain Adoption Initiative in collaboration with the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Baze University and Nile University of Nigeria.
Bamisile said the review would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to innovate, compete and lead in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
The lawmaker said his recent assignment as Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee on the Economic, Security and Regulatory Implications of Cryptocurrency Adoption and Point-of-Sale Operations reinforced the need for public education and regulatory preparedness.
He said promotion of blockchain education was part of the committee’s recommendations.
The lawmaker noted that blockchain offers opportunities beyond cryptocurrency, with applications in financial services, agriculture, supply-chain, digital identity and secure record-keeping, but said realizing its potential requires investment in education, skills, responsible innovation and effective regulation.
His words: “The future belongs to nations that do not merely consume technology, but possess the knowledge to create it, the wisdom to govern it and the vision to use it for national development.
“As Chairman of the House Committee on Delegated Legislation, I recognise the complementary importance of ensuring that subsidiary legislation is lawful, effective and responsive to technological change.
“Education helps us understand innovation; sound regulation ensures that innovation serves the public interest.”
Bamisile urged stakeholders to ensure the revised curriculum goes beyond theory to include practical training, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance and professional competencies to produce innovators and entrepreneurs.
“Let us build the knowledge today that will power Nigeria’s innovation tomorrow,” he added.
Earlier, Director of ICT at Baze University, Dr. Alhassan Abdulmutalab, recalled that Baze was among universities invited by NITDA in 2023 to contribute to the National Blockchain Policy, and described the curriculum review as a key step towards a comprehensive framework.
“Today, I’m very happy that under your leadership, universities are brought together to develop a robust curriculum,” he said, noting the programme targets students and professionals across sectors.
Faculty Coordinator, Continuing Professional Development Programme at AUST, Dr. Prisca Onuoha-Iroakazi, reaffirmed AUST’s commitment to practical, industry-oriented education and said the institution would ensure the curriculum combines theory with hands-on experience and industry collaboration.
“We hope this curriculum will be reviewed to bring not only theory but hands-on training, in a way that everyone who comes to learn will go and build their own industry,” she said.
In her presentation, Mrs. Janet Oyelade commended Bamisile and regulators for bridging gaps between operators and regulators, recalling that the industry had faced turbulence and fragmentation.
She commended the NFIU, SEC and CBN for stakeholder engagement, saying better education would help close gaps in AML compliance, data protection and cybersecurity.
Oyelade said: “The blockchain industry was in a turbulent period. We were having problems with the regulators, and the operators themselves were not together. When the committee called for us, we came in and we found that we could chart a way forward.”