Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has expressed his disapproval of the relaunch of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) by his successor, Bosun Tijani.
The NCAIR, aimed at fostering research and development in emerging technologies like AI and Robotics, was initially established during Pantami’s tenure.
However, Tijani’s announcement of the relaunch, supported by global tech company Cisco, sparked controversy as Pantami felt his legacy was being overshadowed.
Pantami took to social media to assert that the NCAIR had been operational since November 2020 and had made significant strides in training Nigerians in advanced technologies.
He emphasized that achievements should be earned, not simply claimed.
“The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics has been built and commissioned in November 2020, almost 4 years ago.
“The first of its kind in Africa. It has been very effective, and thousands of Nigerians have been trained and trained. Legacy is achieved, not claimed,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Minister Tijani outlined the enhancements made to the NCAIR, including increased computing infrastructure, dedicated labs, and initiatives to empower local researchers and startups.
Additionally, he disclosed outcomes from the Ministry’s National AI Workshop, which included the launch of Nigeria’s first Multilingual Large Language Model and partnerships to drive AI development in the country.
