The Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), in partnership with education technology organisation TechSpace Innovators, has trained 95 young people in coding, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) during a five-day summer programme in Abuja.
The training, held at NAFOWA Secondary School, Abuja, marked the graduation of the second cohort of participants in the association’s Young Achievers Club Coding, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Summer Class.
The programme forms part of TechSpace Innovators’ Project 1M Kids initiative, which aims to introduce one million Nigerian children to emerging technologies and equip them with practical skills to develop solutions to real-world challenges.
A total of 95 participants, comprising 45 males and 50 females aged between 12 and 21, took part in the exercise. They came from different educational backgrounds and levels of technological experience.
Rather than relying solely on classroom lessons, the programme focused on practical activities, allowing participants to learn, experiment and develop technology-based projects.
The training covered programming fundamentals, computational thinking, microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, robotics and introductory concepts in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Using micro:bit and CreateAI tools, participants explored data collection, data refinement, estimation and prediction before applying their knowledge to projects designed to address everyday problems.
At the end of the programme, the participants presented eight team projects: a Flood Protection System, Gesture Bot, Smart Irrigation System, Smart Solar Street Light, Automatic Stick for the Blind, Automatic Gate, Smart Dust Bin and a Gesture Recognition System for Persons with Disabilities.
The projects demonstrated how the participants applied their newly acquired skills to develop solutions relating to safety, agriculture, accessibility and everyday convenience.
The closing ceremony was attended by NAFOWA President, Mrs Ngozi Aneke, who interacted with the young participants as they showcased their projects and explained the ideas behind their designs.
Founder of TechSpace Innovators, Sesugh Gabriel Abenga, said Project 1M Kids was designed to broaden access to technology education and help young Nigerians see themselves as creators of technology rather than merely users.
He explained that the initiative seeks to give children opportunities to develop ideas, solve problems and use digital skills to make a positive impact in their communities.
Abenga also highlighted the importance of partnerships with organisations and institutions in extending practical technology education to more children across the country.
For NAFOWA, the programme represents part of its efforts to equip young members of the Air Force community with skills that encourage creativity, innovation and independent problem-solving.
The association said such opportunities could help prepare children of Nigerian Air Force personnel to contribute meaningfully to society while adapting to an increasingly technology-driven world.
The completion of the second cohort adds to the organisers’ efforts to promote early exposure to emerging technologies. Through Project 1M Kids, TechSpace Innovators aims to expand access to coding, robotics and artificial intelligence training to one million Nigerian children.
The initiative also highlights the growing role of practical technology education in helping young people develop skills that may support future opportunities in science, engineering and other technology-related fields.
