Digital Economy: Nigeria hosts AI strategy workshop for national development

*Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, discloses disclosed the Artificial Intelligence strategy workshop slated for April 15-18, in Abuja, will develop a ‘co-created framework for a multi-year strategy and action plan for the research, application and adoption of AI in Nigeria’

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has said Nigeria is set to hold the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop from April 15 to 18, 2024, in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports  Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, who disclosed this development in a blogpost Wednesday, April 3, noted the some of the leading corporate participants in the event include the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone Limited, NCAIR, United Nations Development Programme, Microsoft, Meta, UNESCO and Google, among others.

Dr. Tijani, explaining the objective of the forthcoming AI forum, said there is a need to coordinate and harness the power of AI for national development as a critical element in the country’s journey towards the use of technology to accelerate productivity in our country.

The Minister stated: “AI offers us the opportunity to leverage technology to solve some of our most complex and urgent challenges in education, agriculture, healthcare and so much more.”

He also recalled one of earliest initiatives from his leadership since assumption of office was to “properly define and outline a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Nigeria.”

Engaging Diaspora Nigerian AI experts for national development, by Tijani

According to the Minister, the country as well recognises

the “incredible depth of talent of Nigerian descent scattered all over the world working in the field of AI.

Describing the forthcoming workshop in Abuja as the next phase of collaborations with the Dispora Nigerian AI professionals, Dr. Tijani declared: “We very quickly looked to identify some of these leading researchers and started to engage them in a number of our initiatives.

“From the National Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) to the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) project, we have worked with these talented academics and entrepreneurs towards the mainstreaming of the application of AI in our everyday lives.”

Highlights of AI strategy workshop

Tijani disclosed the workshop, which is supported by Luminate, would develop a co-created framework for a multi-year strategy and action plan for the research, application and adoption of AI in Nigeria.

He further noted that participants in the workshop would include 120 of Nigeria’s leading researchers and startups in AI.

“We are also grateful for the support from several other partner organisations who will be joining us in Abuja,” the Minister said.

Tijani added: “It is my belief that the resulting strategy will help us deliver the priorities and implementation approach towards improving lives and growing our economy through the application of AI.”