FOREGROUNDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

Abstract

This study addresses the critical disconnect between the technological potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the human expertise required to deploy it ethically and effectively against human trafficking in Nigeria. Grounded in Socio-Technical Systems Theory and the Capabilities Approach, the research investigated the imperative of integrating AI literacy into social science education to bridge a systemic skills gap. A hybrid approach was employed, utilizing online surveys with 300 final-year social science students from six federal universities and online in-depth interviews (via Zoom) with 20 lecturers, curriculum developers, and NAPTIP officials. Findings reveal a stark curricular deficit, with 85% of students reporting no exposure to AI concepts, confirming a significant gap (H0₂ rejected, *p* < .001). A strong positive correlation was established between AI awareness and its perceived efficacy in disrupting trafficking networks (H0₁ rejected, *r*=.45, *p*<.001). Qualitatively, 95% of experts highlighted severe ethical concerns like algorithmic bias, with 85% explicitly advocating for an interdisciplinary, ethics-driven curriculum framework (H0₃ & H0₄ rejected). The study concludes that the current social science curriculum produces professionals who are ill-equipped to govern AI, perpetuating a cycle of technological failure or misuse. It is recommended that the National Universities Commission mandate an “AI, Ethics, and Society” module across social science programmes, that Colleges of Education lead in curriculum redesign, and that agencies like NAPTIP establish technology desks staffed by socially-literate graduates. This educational reform is the pivotal linchpin for harnessing AI as a tool for justice and sustainable national development. (Word Count: 235 words)