The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration of the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter O. Olapegba, FNPA, fspsp, has stated that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is the future of university administration, and administrators should engage it professionally.
He made this statement on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, at the opening ceremony of a two-day Transformative Workshop sponsored by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and organized by the University of Ibadan.
Restating that the Registry is the backbone of the university, Professor Olapegba explained that artificial intelligence is a critical tool that will enable the registry to retain its significance within the framework of university administration.
He allayed fears that AI will eliminate jobs, reassuring participants that through capacity building, they will be prepared to remain relevant, especially with the mastery of AI tools.
RELATED NEWS:
Be Worthy Ambassadors Of University — UI DVC Admonishes Students
2025/2026 Admission: UI Begins Post-UTME Screening For 14,000 Admission Seekers
He appreciated the Convener of the Workshop and Principal Investigator, Mrs. Olubunmi Faluyi, the immediate past Registrar of UI for facilitating the sponsorship of the workshop and added that the initiative lays credence to her passion for capacity development.
Mrs. Olubunmi Faluyi had earlier said that the workshop was an unprecedented feat, which she described as the result of taking the right step at the right time.
According to her, assembling a group of like-minded people helped her to decide that leveraging AI as a tool to improve human resources was a knowledge gap in the university administration that needed to be bridged.
Given the outcome of the strategic discussions and result of a prior survey, the convener said the theme: “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Human Resource Practices in Nigerian Universities” was decided upon.
She stated that the workshop was designed to accommodate about three hundred participants drawn from one federal, one state, and one private university, namely University of Ibadan, Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, and Trinity University respectively.
Mrs. Faluyi said that participants will discover innovative tools to streamline HR processes; enhance recruitment/ employee engagement; and performance management; gain actionable insights from industry experts and real-world case studies; as well as networking with HR professionals and university leaders.
The workshop, which also had virtual participants from different institutions within Nigeria and across Africa, featured paper presentations with hands-on sessions from professional speakers: Dr David Brown, LDM (Managing Partner dBrown Consulting, Nigeria, Ms. Genevieve Okafor, Head Human Resource and Administration, Wragby Business Solution, Mr Soji Adisa, Deputy Director, ITeMS, University of Ibadan, Dr Olusola Saheed Ayoola, Founder/CEO Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria (RAIN), Mr. Adewunmi Samuel Olori, Administrative Secretary, Centre for Financial Forensic Investigation and Analytics, Lagos State University, and Mr. Tejan Ibrahim, MCIPM, Group Chief Executive Officer, Brain Group
