WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Highlighting the ministry’s AI efforts since he took over in 2023, he said one of its first initiatives in office was to outline the country’s comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Strategy clearly. He emphasised the need to harness AI potential for the nation’s advancement as a critical step towards using technology to enhance productivity in Nigeria. “AI offers us the opportunity to leverage technology to solve some of our most complex and urgent challenges in education, agriculture, healthcare, and so much more,” added Tijani. The minister praised Nigerians in the diaspora for their contributions to AI research and innovation, noting that the ministry has had to engage some of these well-known researchers and entrepreneurs in several initiatives. The new AI framework development is the next phase of the government’s collaboration with these experts. Besides the 120 AI-focused Nigerian researchers and startups participating in the AI strategy workshop, the minister noted that several other partner organisations will be joining in Abuja. In a post on X on August 28, 2023, Tijani asked Nigerians to nominate AI researchers in Nigeria and outside who have some experience working in the Nigerian market to join the ministry in co-creating a National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. In 2023, the communications minister announced that the ministry had identified over 6,000 Nigerian AI researchers across the globe who’ll be instrumental to the nation’s objective to deploy AI for job creation and utilise it in every sector of the economy. The minister explained that the ministry’s goal has always been to use AI to enhance productivity through smart infrastructure, even now. Join 30,000 subscribers who receive Techpoint Digest, a fun week-daily 5-minute roundup of happenings in African and global tech, directly in your inbox, hours before everyone else.The news:
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