Artificial Intelligence Integration in Vocational Education: Prospects, Challenges, and a Governance Framework for Nigeria

This study examined the prospects and challenges of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into vocational education in Nigeria, and developed an original governance framework for responsible AI adoption across the TVET sector. AI is rapidly transforming global vocational landscapes, enabling personalized learning, automated skills assessment, intelligent tutoring systems, and labor market matching, yet Nigerian TVET institutions are largely unprepared for this transition. The study employed a foresight research methodology combining systematic literature review, Delphi expert consultation with 50 TVET, AI, and policy specialists across six geopolitical zones, scenario planning workshops, and regulatory framework analysis. Findings from the Delphi study identified competency adaptation, digital infrastructure deficits, data privacy risks, algorithmic bias, and teacher displacement as the five most critical challenges, while personalized learning at scale, industry-responsive curriculum updating, and inclusive access expansion were the highest-potential benefits. Scenario planning produced three plausible futures for AI-integrated Nigerian TVET by 2035, ranging from transformative inclusion to digital stratification. The study proposes the Nigerian TVET AI Governance Framework (NTAGF), encompassing five regulatory pillars: ethical AI standards, infrastructure equity provisions, teacher AI literacy requirements, data sovereignty protection, and inclusive impact monitoring. This study makes an original policy and governance contribution to the emerging literature on AI in African vocational education. Keywords: artificial intelligence, vocational education, Nigeria, governance framework, AI integration.