*Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, asserts that with the Nigerian Artificial Intelligence (AI) Collective, the IT sector regulator envisions a future where the West African country can 鈥榟arness the power of AI to drive collective economic prosperity, innovation, and social development’ while positioning Nigeria as a leading force in AI across Africa, and globally

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Federal Government of Nigeria has continued to intensify efforts at honing the country’s map in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem.

Leading the AI industry stakeholders in the West African country is the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The country鈥檚 Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency has stated its readiness to accelerate Nigerians’ collective prosperity through an inclusive AI ecosystem.

Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (7th from left), Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA (6th from tight), Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO of NCC, and Other Officals with industry stakeholders at the Nokia Executive Experience Centre Expo 2024, in 聽Espoo, Finland, recently

绿帽献妻 reports NITDA has emphasised that with the Nigerian AI Collective, it envisions “a future where Nigeria harnesses the power of AI to drive economic prosperity, innovation, and social development.”

The agency also noted its strategic role in positioning Nigeria as a leading force in AI for good on the African continent and globally.

The agency also has expressed its commitment to forging robust partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders within the digital ecosystem to catalyse innovation, drive digital inclusion, and foster sustainable economic growth in the Nigerian ecosystem.

Activating AI Collective with robust collaborations, partnerships

In regard to the objectives of NITDA鈥檚 Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 (SRAP 2024-2027) and subsequent averment to drive the process to success in the Nigerian economy, Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, has said the IT sector regulator is 鈥渃ommitted to forging robust partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders within the digital ecosystem to catalyse innovation, drive digital inclusion, and foster sustainable economic growth.鈥�

True to this commitment, Malam Inuwa, described as a transformational expert along with Dr. 鈥橞osun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Technology (FMCIDE), Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of other FMCIDE agencies, and other key officials of the Ministry has crisscrossed a number of technology and innovation leading economies, including Saudi Arabia, Finland, Sweden and the United States (US) in the last few months to build digital bridges and forge robust collaborations with global industry stakeholders.

Inuwa, at a recent forum in Abuja, FCT, comprehensively, explained that the agency鈥檚 Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 is structured around the eight pillars, as contained in the NITDA policy document.

These, he noted, include Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talents, Building a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Frameworks, and Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services.

Others, he noted, are Enhancing Cybersecurity and Digital Trust, Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forging Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations, and Cultivating a Vibrant organisational Culture with an Agile Workforce in Nigeria.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi (centre) recently co-chairing the聽US-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) plenary on Digital Economy and Emerging Technologies聽

In April 2024, the agency also particularly disclosed that the Management of NITDA has decided to realign its focus to engage with more stakeholders both within the country and worldwide.

It described such robust partnerships as 鈥渢he linchpin for unleashing the digital economy’s potential, a priority area for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.鈥�

Relaunch of National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics with improved capacity

Affirming the strategic role of NITDA in actualising the stated objectives of the Nigerian AI Collective recently, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, announced the AI Collective for Nigeria, led by NITDA and managed by Lagos Business School (LBS), Data Science Nigeria and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), supported by a funding of over $1.5 million from “Luminate”, is to ensure continuous conversations and engagements on AI in Nigeria for the next three years.

At the recent closing dinner of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Workshop, attended by CEOs under the Ministry, IT stakeholders, researchers and tech startups, and held in Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Dr. Tijani also announced the relaunch of new improved capacity at National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) in partnership with CISCO.

Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA (middle); alongside Hadiza Umar, Director of CAER at NITDA (far right); SSAs to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Community Engagement for South-West, Ms Moremi Ojudu (2nd right); South-East, Barr. Chioma Nweze (3rd left); North-West, Hon. Abdallah Tanko Yakassai (2nd left); and Member of NITDA Strategic Team, Ms Dayo Johnson (l), during the SSAs’ visit to the Agency’s Headquarters, in Abuja recently聽 聽 聽

The Minister noted the first Nigeria Multi Lingual Large Language model project would be supported by over 7,000 fellows from the 3MTT programme in partnership with NITDA, NCAIR, Awarri and data.org

Another is Nigeria’s Computing Infrastructure pilot in partnership with NCAIR, Galaxy Backbone, and 21st Century Technologies to develop the country鈥檚 National Compute Project.

According to Tijani, the announcement of these initiatives would help to achieve the eight 鈥渞edefined priority areas of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to grow the economy and shape Nigeria’s future on a global scale.鈥�

The Minister averred: 鈥淭his marked a crucial milestone in Nigeria’s quest to harness the power of AI for national development.鈥�

Digital literacy, inclusiveness and objectives of Nigerian AI Collective, by Inuwa

In a move to accelerate international collaborations and partnerships on the Nigerian AI Collective, NITDA has restated the significance of establishing partnerships and collaborations with international AI organisations, institutions, and industry players to leverage global expertise and resources in this regard.

In terms of all-inclusiveness of various shades of stakeholders on the AI project, the agency has disclosed the Nigerian AI Collective aims to involve a diverse range of stakeholders, including AI researchers and practitioners, academia and educational institutions, industry leaders and entrepreneurs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), industry associations, government representatives and policymakers, tech startups and innovators, as well as AI enthusiasts and students.

Enumerating the 8 pillars of the SRAP 2.0 recently, Inuwa highlighted that 鈥淔oster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents鈥�, as one of the most important pillars in the document, is anchored on where inclusivity is pronounced.

The Director-General of NITDA further noted this while explaining some of his agency鈥檚 latest activities when he played host to the Senior Special Advisers (SSAs) to President Tinubu on Community Engagement 鈥� South-East, Barr. Chioma Nweze; South-West, Ms Moremi Ojudu; and North-West, Hon. Abdallah Tanko Yakassai in his office, in Abuja, recently.

The Presidential aides had visited NITDA to discuss 鈥減ossible areas of collaboration鈥� on Nigeria鈥檚 digital transformation journey.

The NITDA Chief explained: 鈥淭o ensure we are inclusive; we need to get our citizens to be digitally literate. So, we developed the National Digital Literacy Framework with an ambitious target of achieving 95 percent digital literacy by 2030, but Mr. President cited a mid-term target for us to achieve 70 percent by 2027.鈥�

According to Inuwa, the IT sector regulatory agency is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education in infusing digital literacy into all academic institutions鈥� curricula while aside from developing standard training with certifications that would be a prerequisite for securing government employment.

Expatiating further on the initiative to ensure inclusiveness in the digital ecosystem, the Director-General of NITDA stated: 鈥淲e have already worked with the Head of Service to put it as a requirement for government workers to be digitally literate.

鈥淏ut for the market people, artisans and so on, what they need is the literacy to use digital devices to access internet banking, government digital services and others.

鈥淲e have, therefore, been exploiting many channels to deliver them through TV programmes, social media, radio, roadshows, and so on.鈥�

The place of 3MTT programme, other initiatives in building youths鈥� skills

Inuwa also mentioned the 3 Million Tech Talent (3MTT) programme is yet another initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) in collaboration with the agency to identify skill gaps, and build Nigerian youths鈥� capacity on skills in high demand locally and internationally.

He said: 鈥淲e have started the training and so far, we have trained over 30,000 and completed the first phase which is a pilot. We are now executing the second phase of the training.鈥�

Restating the agency鈥檚 vision for Nigeria, where inclusive economic growth is fostered through technological innovation, the NITDA Chief Executive noted that the vision aligned with the Nigerian President鈥檚 eight priority areas.

Inuwa said: 鈥淭he President wants to Reform the Economy to Deliver Sustained Economic Growth; Strengthen National Security for Peace and Prosperity; Boost Agriculture to Achieve Food Security; Boost Infrastructure and Transportation as Enablers of Growth; Focus on Education, Health and Social Investment as Enablers of Development; Accelerate Diversification through Digitisation, Industrialisation, Creative Art and Innovation; and Improve Governance for Effective Service Delivery to Citizens.鈥�

On other strategic pillars of NITDA鈥檚 SRAP 2.0

As regards seven other strategic pillars of NITDA鈥檚 SRAP 2.0, he stated they involve Building a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem; Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Framework; Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services; Strengthening Cybersecurity and Enhance Digital Trust; and Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.

Forging Strategic Partnerships and collaborations and lastly, Cultivating a Vibrant Organisational Culture and an Agile Workforce in NITDA are the others, he stated.

According to him, there are various infrastructure, innovative solutions, sponsorships and training programmes the Federal Government has been offering nationwide.

Speaking on behalf of other SSAs, Hon. Yakassai, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Community Engagement for the North-West, appreciated Inuwa鈥檚 highlights of NITDA operations by sharing insights into the various activities of the agency to ensure a digitally empowered country through building the digital capacities of Nigerians.

He also expressed the willingness of the visiting Presidential team to collaborate with the IT regulatory agency in areas of propagating its activities to the grassroots throughout the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the West African country.

Yakassai said: 鈥淢r. President is a grassroots person that is why he created this office, so that we make sure whatever the government is doing is taken down to the grassroots level. And we need to show the people the importance of your programmes and how they can key into them.鈥�

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