In an effort to promote innovation across the economy, the Nigerian federal government has revealed that it is in talks with the Commonwealth of Nations to accept Nigerians into its AI Academy.
On Monday, September 30, 2024, Chief Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, made this announcement via his X page.
The discussions stemmed from high-level conversations held outside of the just finished 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Using AI as a Tool to Power Nigeria’s Economy
Nnaji disclosed that they talked about introducing and integrating Nigerians into the comprehensive AI education program offered by the Intel-powered Commonwealth AI Academy.
“This program will equip millions of Nigerians with industry-ready AI skills, particularly our youth and women,” he remarked.
With Nigeria’s participation, he said, this project will put Nigeria at the forefront of AI adoption and have the ability to alter important industries like agriculture, healthcare, and governance through capacity building.
“To help us build a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and addressing global challenges, the AI Academy, which is part of the Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium, will offer specialized courses such as AI for the public sector and AI for youth,” he said.
Nnaji reiterated Nigeria’s resolve to use technology to combat climate change, especially in sustainable agriculture.
He continued by saying that Nigeria’s leadership in the use of technology for climate resilience and sustainable development will be further strengthened by cooperation with the Commonwealth.
“With techniques like Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) and biochar, we’re improving soil health and aligning with global climate goals under the Paris Agreement.
“I am eager for Nigeria to present innovative, tech-driven solutions to climate challenges as we look towards COP29,” he continued.
Additional Insights
The Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium (CAIC) is a component of a larger action plan that aims to empower the 1.5 billion young people in the Commonwealth—of which Nigeria is a part—and support member states by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
According to information provided on the Commonwealth website, the CAIC called its inaugural Steering Committee Meeting in 2023 in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The CAIC is made up of international tech companies, top research institutions, non-profit organizations, and at least six Commonwealth member countries that have expressed interest in supporting AI innovation.
“The Steering Committee agreed on a robust action plan aimed at building the capacity to use AI within member countries to benefit from global innovations such as cloud computing and generative AI.”
“It is envisioned that greater use of technology will result in economic growth, sustainability, improved health outcomes, and job creation.”
“This includes a framework mapping out how different organizations and groups will contribute to delivery, as well as the launch of four working groups to drive action in the following core areas: policy, capacity building, data and infrastructure, as well as research and innovation,” the Commonwealth statement read in parts.
