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Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how mathematics is learned, taught and applied, yet Nigerian teacher education has been slow to prepare mathematics teachers for this shift. This study examined the integration of AI into mathematics teacher education in Nigeria, with emphasis on the skills needed for technological development. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted in the two public colleges of education in Enugu State. The sample comprised 265 respondents: all 48 mathematics lecturers and 217 Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) III mathematics preservice teachers selected by proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected with a validated 34-item Mathematics-AI Integration Skills Questionnaire (MAISQ; Cronbach's α = .87). Mean and standard deviation answered the research questions, while the independentsamples t-test tested the hypotheses at the .05 level. Findings revealed low use of AI tools for mathematics teaching (M = 2.21) and low possession of AI-integration skills (M = 2.18), with prompt formulation, learner-analytics interpretation, coding and knowledge of the mathematics behind AI being weakest. Erratic power supply, costly internet, inadequate devices and absence of AI content in the NCE curriculum were major challenges. Lecturers possessed significantly higher AI-integration skills than pre-service teachers, t(263) = 3.08, p = .002, but gender differences were not significant. The study recommends embedding AI-in-mathematics modules in the NCE curriculum, sustained capacity building, and AI-ready infrastructure.