Computer science experts have said that the appeal for researchers of Nigerian heritage to collaborate on the building of a National AI will promote economic growth.
In a paper published on Monday, Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, invited leading researchers of Nigerian ancestry from around the globe to collaborate on developing a national artificial intelligence strategy.
Tijani advised Nigeria to create a national AI policy to use AI for sustainable development.
In a report titled “Co-creating a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Nigeria,” which he posted on his X account on Monday, it was revealed that Al had developed into a multi-purpose technology that was changing how services were provided and how production was done, with the potential to have a significant impact on social advancement and economic growth.
Prof. Olumide Obe of the Computer Science Department, School of Computing, Federal University of Technology, Akure, discussed the issue with our correspondent and said that the cross-pollination of researchers and industry will result in all-around development.
He responded, “It’s the right course of action. I know that the National Information Technology Development Agency has a division dedicated to AI and robotics. But what he’s saying is that it shouldn’t be limited to NITDA alone; rather, all ICT researchers ought to band together and develop a national AI strategy. Researchers and developers in the field of AI are going to come together, and this will result in rapid growth for our economy and business.
We attempt to employ research output to improve on industrial development and academic environment, thus there should be cross-breeding between academia and industry, according to this statement.
He bemoaned Nigerian professionals’ tendency to operate in isolation, which he claimed was typical.
In this region of the world, we enjoy operating alone, Obe said. The industry will expand if we and the role players work together. The government must ensure that the academic community and business community have a forum and a way to collaborate. Government officials must make sure the contact is well-coordinated. Although I believe NITDA has started in that direction, academic work still has to be improved.
Prof. Oluwatoyin Enikuomehin, a professor of computer science and the director of ICT at Lagos State University in Ojo, claimed that AI could only be applied to ideas and things that already existed. He also claimed that Nigerian researchers were the only ones who understood how to localize new IT technologies to their immediate surroundings.
In reality, until the local specialists, researchers here, have their say, these technologies won’t produce the results we expect. Remember that learning and training processes are a key component of AI models. Nigerian academics should use this chance to benefit society and to use it as a platform to put many of the published theoretical frameworks that can alter the way things are done into practice.
Since AI will determine where we stand as academics in a globalized world, it must be acknowledged.
The amount of investment the FG was willing to provide for AI research, training, and deployment, he continued, would determine the degree of effectiveness from an AI intervention.
In the first instance, the call was wise. In order to safeguard Nigeria’s future in terms of both economic viability and infrastructure participation, FG should be sincere and take this area of intervention extremely seriously.
