NITDA, UNICCON launch digital literacy, Omeife AI apps in 4 Nigerian languages

*Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE,  Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency discloses the newly activated digital literacy app and Omeife AI App will interact in four Nigerian languages, including Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Pidgin

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

As part of the country’s drive for technological innovation and inclusivity in the digital space, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has partnered with the UNICCON Group to launch the digital literacy mobile App and Omeife AI App, in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports the Information Technology (IT) regulatory agency Wednesday, October 11, 2023, stated that the Digital literacy App marked a leap in technological innovation and inclusivity with its design to interact seamlessly in four local languages, including Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and Pidgin.

Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE,  Director-General of NITDA, who was the special guest at the launch of the app, recalled how NITDA and UNICCON Group earlier had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the year to partner on developing the digital literacy app.

NITDA said: “The DG ) Director-General) was excited as he revealed that he was privileged to represent the former Vice President to launch Omeife, the first Humanoid robot in Africa, in December 2022.”

According to the agency, three months later, he came on a facility tour of UNICCON group, and thereafter, challenged Dr. Chucks Ekwueme, Chairman of the Group, to develop the Digital Literacy App.

Inuwa also averred: “We need to use the technology to solve existing problems and decide on digital literacy because it is the currency to a digital economy.”

He further assured the stakeholders and digital  consumers of NITDA’s commitment to investing in UNICCON Group in terms of research, and called for developmental partners to collaborate to achieve the vision.

The Director-General commended the efforts of GIZ who are currently working with NITDA on the policy dialogue to implement the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).

He further stated: “As a government regulatory body, NITDA is saddled with the responsibility to deliver on the administration’s ambitious target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030, to enable Nigeria become a global superpower in digital economy, and Nigerians needs to be digitally literate.”

Inuwa recalled Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, recently unveiled a blueprint with a mid-term target of achieving 70% by the end of 2023, by training 70% of 200 million within four years in, in-person training.

“That’s why we need this kind of technology”, he enthused.

The NITDA Chief Executive also encouraged the UNICCON Group to attend the upcoming policy dialogues scheduled to hold in Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt, to provide a platform to exhibit Omeife and get possible feedback on how to improve on it, to make it the primary or main tool to implement NDLF in Nigeria.

On forthcoming policy dialogue in Nigeria

Inuwa as well explained that the policy dialogue is a forum where critical industry stakeholders participate to enable co-creation of the policy. He noted that Nigeria had invested in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is embedded in the blueprint the Minister launched recently.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the mandate to grow the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economy through technology, he said.

Benefits of AI technology to humanity

Inuwa also stated: “AI has become an important technology in the world today and if humanity can develop it right, it would be the last invention needed as humans, because AI can do anything we want.”

In connection with additional merits of deployment of AI, the Director-General of NITDA explained the more benefits available in AI.

He noted that if applied to the full, there would be algorithms creating algorithms and robots working for humans.

With the application of AI in biology, it will accelerate a lot of innovation, he stated.

The Director-General said: “There is the projection about a bio 3D printing human organ, likewise, there is conversation about growing plant and meat from stem cells. “When there is a convergence of AI with biology, all these are possible.”

Inuwa stressed “we are building the technology here in Nigeria, for Africa. “If we exempt our local contents from the AI we are building, our culture and values would be forgotten.”

Inuwa emphasised that Nigeria and Africa should not be left behind in this Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

He stated: “With emerging technologies, what is paramount is the talent and the people, which Nigeria has in abundance given our teeming youthful population.

“Technology cannot work without the people. It is like a ying and yang, the technology, and the people.”

Speaking further, he noted that there is need to build and invest in digital literacy and talent in general, saying that NITDA is happy to partner with UNICCON Group to make this a reality.

Inuwa applauded the UNICCON Group for the convergence of the different sectors of emerging technology in their company.

“This is revolutionary and a game changer to the future which is arriving faster than we expected. Thank you for taking up the challenge and delivering in a significant milestone,” he said.

Speaking at the launch Dr. Ekweme, Chairman of UNICCON Group in his opening speech said that Omeife App is tailored to meet the Nigerian and African experience to users.

He stated: “The App can be used both by the literate and the illiterate. We are working on making Nigeria become one of the superpowers in the world.”

The Chairman explained that the Omeife AI App is built with the capacity to provide an interactive, personalised experience for anybody acquiring the digital literacy skills.

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