Promoting technological innovation: establishing a research center
According to a recent report by CryptoCity, in view of the prevalence of illegal financial transactions in Africa, Olanipekun Olukoyede, Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), emphasized that blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used as effective tools to combat illegal financial flows.
The Nigerian government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), recently announced plans to establish research centers focusing on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain in six regions across the country. The news was announced by NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa at the opening of the IoT West Africa Conference in Lagos. Inuwa said the plan aims to create a strong technology research ecosystem and promote technological innovation.
The planned research centers will focus on several key industries, including IoT, blockchain technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), additive manufacturing, AI and robotics. Inuwa noted: “We are establishing a dedicated institution to research these key industries and set up research centers in six regions in Nigeria.” In addition to funding research, NITDA also plans to support Nigerian startups and help them develop Products that leverage emerging technologies and help them bring their products to market through an innovation sandbox.
Towards African Silicon Valley: Technical talent cultivation and international cooperation
The Nigerian government’s 3 Million Tech Talent (3MTT) program is an important part of the country’s efforts to develop technical talent. The program aims to train and empower 3 million Nigerians with technical skills by 2027. NITDA participates in this initiative and is committed to supporting Nigerian startups to develop products in emerging technology industries.
Source: 3MTT The 3MTT plan aims to build Nigeria’s technical talent backbone to power the digital economy and position Nigeria as a net exporter of talent.
Speaking at the IoT West Africa conference in Lagos, Shitij Taneja, managing director of Vertex Next, said Nigeria was poised to become the “Silicon Valley of Africa”. He highlighted the country's large young population and vibrant new innovation ecosystem as key factors in its potential. The conference aims to attract investors to support Nigerian startups focusing on emerging technologies and promote the country's technological development.
The Nigerian government also launched the first multilingual Large Language Model (LLM) in partnership with local AI companies, including NITDA and the National Center for AI and Robotics (NCAIR). The LLM will deliver training in five low-resource languages and accented English, and will be supported by members of the 3 Million Skilled Talent (3MTT) programme.
The Government of Nigeria and the United States recently announced that they will discuss the digital economy, emerging technologies and AI to explore potential opportunities for cooperation. These discussions are aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries and promoting deeper cooperation in these industries.
Nigeria is making a nationwide effort to promote technological innovation and hopes to become Africa's Silicon Valley through these initiatives. With the establishment of research centers and the cultivation of technical talents, Nigeria is gradually moving towards becoming a global leader in technological innovation.
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