Abideen Olasupo, the Global Director of BrainBuilder Youth Development Initiatives (BBYDI) has counseled the federal government on the need for effective synergy among critical stakeholders in the artificial intelligence (AI) space.
According to him, a working relationship between Nigeria’s national AI strategy, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Digital Economy would enable the country to reinvent itself effectively.
He spoke in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, reacting to the federal government’s intention to onboard Nigerians into the Commonwealth’s AI Academy.
Earlier, Chief Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, stated on Monday, September 30, 2024, that the federal government of Nigeria is in discussions with the Commonwealth of Nations to onboard Nigerians into its AI Academy to drive innovation in several sectors of the economy.
The deliberations were a result of high-level meetings with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Patricia Scotland, on the sidelines of the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 79th session.
Nnaji revealed that they discussed launching and onboarding Nigerians into the ambitious AI training initiative through the Commonwealth AI Academy, powered by Intel.
According to him, “this program will equip millions of Nigerians, particularly our youth and women, with industry-ready AI skills.” He stated that this initiative, following Nigeria’s involvement, will position Nigeria at the forefront of AI adoption, with the potential to transform key sectors like governance, healthcare, and agriculture through capacity building.
Reacting, Olasupo said that while the move is a welcome development, there is a need to extend an open invitation to critical stakeholders to bring their expertise on board.
“This is a good initiative, but I would have expected that we align it with our national AI strategy. I would want a synergy between the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Digital Economy so that we are not just reinventing the wheel and everyone is on the same page.
Collaboration is essential, and there is also a need to invite critical stakeholders who could make meaningful contributions to the national artificial intelligence strategy. This will make it easier for the strategy to be inclusive and sustainable because we cannot just develop a strategy in silos.
The strategy should be all-encompassing. The Artificial Intelligence Academy is a positive step, but as a country, we need to know exactly what we are doing so that opportunists do not take advantage of its benefits to the detriment of those who could benefit largely from it, especially our youth.”
According to Chief Uche Nnaji, “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, helping us build a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and addressing global challenges.”
Nnaji reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to integrating technology into climate action, particularly in sustainable agriculture. He added that collaboration with the Commonwealth will further strengthen Nigeria’s leadership in using technology for sustainable development and climate resilience.
“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 added.
The Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium (CAIC) is part of a broader action plan that seeks to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support member states and empower the 1.5 billion young people under the age of 30 in the Commonwealth, of which Nigeria is a part.
As disclosed on the Commonwealth website, the CAIC, which includes global tech firms, world-leading research institutions, non-profit organizations, and at least six Commonwealth member countries that have stepped forward to champion AI innovation, convened its first-ever Steering Committee Meeting in 2023, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
“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 partly reads.
Olasupo also noted that there is a need for the government and relevant stakeholders in the space to create awareness, as it has the potential to spur interest and properly position them to harness the opportunities inherent in artificial intelligence.
“I think there is even a need to create awareness around artificial intelligence, which is what we are doing at Factcheckers Development and BrainBuilder Initiatives to promote AI literacy and awareness. If our youth are not informed about it or do not know the ways through which it could benefit them, then going ahead to tell them to apply for opportunities in the same area could amount to a sheer waste of time.
As such, we cannot expect to do the same thing the same way and expect different results. That is why from our end, we would like to first create awareness around AI and then promote AI literacy so that every young person in agriculture, healthcare, education, engineering, and the development space sees how AI can enhance what they are currently doing.
As I have always said, AI has come to stay, and what we need to do is to critically examine how it affects our individual work lives and find ways for everyone to benefit.”
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