Abstract

The frontiers of adult and community education in Nigeria have widened considerably as the field responds to changing social, economic, environmental and technological needs. This narrative review examined the development of adult and community education for sustainable development in Nigeria, with particular attention to the movement from community mobilisation and literacy to lifelong learning, empowerment, health, environmental education, digital learning and artificial intelligence. A total of 117 Nigerian, African and international publications were identified through searches of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science and supplemented by reference-list searches. The literature was synthesised using historical and thematic approaches. Five major areas of change were identified: participatory community development; functional literacy and lifelong learning; economic empowerment, health and social wellbeing; environmental sustainability; and digital learning and artificial intelligence. The evidence indicates that the expansion of the field has not displaced its established foundations, as community participation, local leadership, functional learning and knowledge of local conditions continue to be important. However, inadequate funding, weak institutional support, limited learning resources and unequal access to digital infrastructure restrict the ability of the field to respond to newer demands. The review concludes that the transition from community mobilisation to artificial intelligence represents an expansion of adult and community education rather than a departure from its foundations. Its future relevance to sustainable development in Nigeria will depend on integrating community-based principles with accessible and responsible digital and AI-supported learning, particularly for adults in rural and underserved communities.