PartnersPartners
Building the coalition behind a national programme.
Partnership Opportunities
The National AI Innovation Programme is structured from inception to engage international academic institutions, technology partners, and funding bodies in the delivery of a transformative education-sector initiative at continental scale.
Academic Partners
Universities, research institutions, and academic networks contributing expertise, curriculum design, and validation. Academic partnerships position the Programme at the forefront of global AI capability-building for education systems.
Technology Partners
AI platforms, educational technology providers, and enterprise software companies contributing tools, infrastructure, and technical capability. Technology partnerships ensure the Programme deploys leading-edge solutions at scale.
Funding Partners
Bilateral and multilateral donors, development finance institutions, and private foundations supporting the Programme's phases and providing technical assistance through coordinated funding mechanisms.
Founding Partners
National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA)
National Anchor and Institutional Owner
NIEPA is Nigeria's statutory institution for educational planning, administration, and leadership capacity-building, mandated by the 2003 National Council on Education policy to coordinate capacity-building across the entire education sector. NIEPA leads the Programme, owns its institutional identity, holds all certification and accreditation authority, and is the body through which the Programme's national mandate operates. By the end of the Programme's life cycle, NIEPA owns and operates the Programme independently.
Ekenua & Co Limited
Programme Architect, Strategic Implementation Partner, and Lead Funding Advisor
Working in partnership with NIEPA, Ekenua:
- •Leads programme design and the development of implementation frameworks
- •Structures international academic, technology, and funding partnerships
- •Provides embedded advisory support to the Programme Delivery Unit
- •Manages donor coordination and programme funding mobilisation
- •Supports capacity transfer to NIEPA over the Programme's life cycle
The partnership is time-limited and structured for progressive institutionalisation: over the Programme's life cycle, capability transfers to NIEPA's permanent staff, and the Institute progressively assumes full ownership and operation.
Funding and Development Partners
NAIP is structured to attract sustained multi-year external financing from a coalition of international funders, including:
- •Multilateral institutions — including the World Bank and African Development Bank, through their education, public-sector capacity, and digital development windows
- •European Union — through Global Gateway, Horizon Europe, and Erasmus+ frameworks
- •Bilateral development partners — including FCDO (United Kingdom), GIZ (Germany), AFD (France), and equivalent partners
- •UN and specialised agencies — including UNESCO and the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning, building on NIEPA's existing international relationships
Funder engagements are active and ongoing. Confirmed commitments will be announced as they are concluded.
Interest in Partnership?
NAIP is actively engaging with academic institutions, technology partners, and international funders. To discuss partnership opportunities, contact the Programme team.
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