Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Educational Growth and Poverty Eradication in Niger State, Nigeria: Counselling Implications for Sustainable Development

Abstract: Niger State, Nigeria, faces acute educational deficits and pervasive poverty that threaten sustainable development. Despite numerous policy interventions, educational access remains limited, learning outcomes are poor, and poverty continues to deepen across rural communities. This paper examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can serve as a transformative catalyst for educational growth and poverty eradication in Niger State. Drawing on existing literature, national policy frameworks, and theoretical perspectives, including Human Capital Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model. The paper argues that AI technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to deliver personalized learning, bridge the digital divide, support counselling services, and stimulate economic mobility for rural households and out-of-school youth in Niger State. The paper identifies key challenges, including infrastructural deficits, digital exclusion, ethical concerns, and a counselling gap that limits psychosocial support for learners. It concludes that improving educational outcomes and eradicating poverty in Niger State requires not merely increased AI investment but fundamental attention to contextual adaptation, ethical deployment, and the professional development of counsellors. Recommendations include developing a state-level AI in Education Strategy, establishing digital infrastructure in rural schools, integrating AI literacy into counsellor education, and fostering public-private partnerships for sustainable AI deployment.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), educational growth, poverty eradication, counselling, sustainable development