Nsibidi Fables Advocates AI-Driven Education, Storytelling to Shape Africa’s Digital Future

LAGOS, Nigeria – Nsibidi Fables has called for greater collaboration between educators, technology innovators, creatives and policymakers to position Africa as a key player in the global digital economy through artificial intelligence (AI), education and indigenous storytelling.

The call was made during Claiming Tomorrow: The Next Gen Collective, a high-level forum organised by the creative technology, education and content studio at the Mike Adenuga Centre in Lagos. The event brought together educators, filmmakers, technology professionals, investors, business executives, writers and creatives to explore how AI can accelerate innovation while preserving Africa’s rich cultural identity.

Speaking at the event, Founder of Nsibidi Fables, Tony Effik, challenged Africans to take ownership of the continent’s technological future instead of waiting for global trends to define it.

According to him, Africa has a long history of innovation that should inspire confidence in embracing emerging technologies.

“If nobody knows the future, why can’t we create it ourselves? Why not us? Africa has given the world innovations such as the Nsibidi Writing System and the Ifa Binary System. We must stop discarding our potential and begin building the future from our own strengths,” he said.

Effik noted that Africa’s creative and digital sectors present enormous opportunities, particularly as AI continues to transform industries ranging from education to entertainment.

The discussions also highlighted the rapid growth of Nigeria’s creative economy. Participants referenced the country’s expanding music and film industries, noting that Nigerian artists earned billions of naira in streaming royalties in recent years, while Nollywood remains one of the world’s most prolific film industries.

Speakers agreed that sustaining this momentum will depend on stronger investments in digital skills, education, AI infrastructure and homegrown innovation.

Education emerged as one of the central themes of the forum, with experts examining how AI can improve teaching and learning across the continent. Citing UNESCO projections that Sub-Saharan Africa will require about 15 million additional teachers by 2030, participants stressed the need for technology-enabled learning solutions.

Regina Ezefuna, Proprietor of Dream Schools International, shared the impact of integrating Nsibidi Academy’s AI-supported learning tools into classroom activities.

She said students demonstrated stronger critical thinking, collaboration, decision-making and emotional intelligence, adding that many parents were initially surprised by the quality of work produced through AI-assisted learning.

The event also featured robust discussions on AI’s growing role in animation and content creation. While participants expressed varying opinions on the extent of AI adoption within creative industries, there was broad consensus that technology should complement—not replace—human creativity.

Reinforcing this position, Chief Brand Officer of Nsibidi Fables, Perky Noah-Effik, said the company’s philosophy places people at the centre of technological innovation.

She explained that whether through film production or educational technology, AI serves as a tool that enhances creative processes while human expertise remains the driving force behind every project.

During the gathering, Nsibidi Fables unveiled plans to expand Nsibidi Academy, its AI-powered tutoring marketplace aimed at improving learning outcomes across Africa, while also scaling its proprietary AI-assisted creative production tools.

The company disclosed that its AI-supported animation workflow has significantly reduced production timelines—from about six months to just four weeks—without compromising creative quality, thanks to its human-in-the-loop production model.

As Africa seeks to strengthen its position in the global AI landscape, Nsibidi Fables said it will continue to foster partnerships across education, technology and the creative industries to equip the next generation of African creators, innovators and digital entrepreneurs.