Curators University: A New Chapter for AI Education Begins in Modakeke
A new chapter in Africa’s technology and higher education story began in Modakeke, Osun State, as the foundation was laid for Curators University, an institution being developed with a bold vision to advance Artificial Intelligence education, innovation and practical learning in Nigeria.
The foundation-laying ceremony, held on Friday, August 15, 2025, brought together Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi; the university’s founder, Olusola Amusan; members of the university’s planning committee; community leaders and other stakeholders.
The proposed institution is positioned as Africa’s first tertiary institution dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, with an academic offering designed to respond to the rapidly changing demands of technology, industry and the future of work.
Its proposed programmes include Artificial Intelligence with a specialisation in Machine Learning, Computer Hardware Engineering, Data Analytics and Database Administration, Arbitration and Conflict Resolution, and 3D Printing and Polymer Science.
Representing Governor Adeleke at the ceremony, the Osun State Commissioner for Information, Dipo Eluwole, described the establishment of the university as a significant development for the state’s education sector.
He said the project aligns with the administration’s efforts to strengthen education and urged the institution’s leadership to build a university that would achieve excellence both academically and culturally.
“The establishment of a university here in Modakeke is a milestone achievement, which aligns with our drive to boost the educational sector,” the governor said.
For the founder, however, the vision extends beyond constructing another university.
Olusola Amusan emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in making cutting-edge education more accessible to young Nigerians. He noted that collaboration between government, private institutions and other stakeholders could create pathways for students to access the specialised education required to participate meaningfully in the global technology economy.
“We aim to support the country through this institution and also to boost the economy of Osun State, especially Modakeke,” Amusan said, while calling for partnerships that would help young people access education in Artificial Intelligence and related fields.
The Chairman of the Curators University Groundbreaking Planning Committee, Abimbola Amusan, described the project as an opportunity to create much more than an academic institution.
“We envision this land transforming into a global academic and innovation hub that will empower youth, create jobs, and spark economic growth for generations to come,” he said.
That vision reflects the broader philosophy behind Curators University: an approach to education that connects learning with real-world problem solving, technology, entrepreneurship and social innovation.
According to the institution, its model is designed around practical, project-based learning, industry exposure and the development of solutions to African challenges. Its current programme portfolio includes AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Hardware Engineering, 3D Printing and Polymer Science, and Arbitration and Conflict Resolution.
The university’s emergence in Modakeke also carries significance for the community. Rather than concentrating technological and innovation opportunities solely in Nigeria’s major urban centres, the project presents an opportunity for a historic community in Osun State to become part of the continent’s evolving technology and knowledge economy.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi, encouraged sons and daughters of the community, particularly those in the diaspora, to emulate the founder by returning home to invest in initiatives that can contribute to the development of the community.
With the foundation now laid, Curators University is setting its sights on a future where African students are not merely consumers of emerging technologies but become the people building, adapting and applying those technologies to solve problems across the continent.
From Modakeke, a new idea about what African higher education can become is taking shape, one where technology, innovation and purpose meet.
