By Emmanuel Ogbodo<\/p>\n
The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced plans to establish research centres focused on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain across Nigeria\u2019s six geo-political zones.<\/p>\n
This initiative was disclosed by Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, during his keynote address at the IoT West Africa Conference in Lagos. He emphasized that this move aligns with the agency\u2019s goal of building a robust technology research ecosystem. The focus areas for NITDA’s research include IoT, blockchain technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), additive manufacturing, AI, and robotics.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are setting up a special-purpose vehicle to explore these key areas and establish research centres in each of Nigeria\u2019s six geo-political zones,\u201d said Inuwa, who was represented by Aristole Onumo, NITDA\u2019s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy. Besides funding research, NITDA plans to support Nigerian startups developing products in these emerging technology fields.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe aim to foster innovation through development and innovation sandboxes, helping individuals with ideas to create viable business models and bring them to market,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The NITDA DG also highlighted the agency\u2019s role in talent development, particularly its support for the federal government\u2019s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program. The goal is to technically train and empower three million Nigerians by 2027. Although some trainees may migrate, Inuwa noted that this would enhance Nigeria\u2019s talent export and increase foreign exchange through remittances.<\/p>\n
This strategic initiative marks a significant step forward in Nigeria\u2019s commitment to harnessing the potential of emerging technologies to drive economic growth and innovation. By establishing these research centres, NITDA aims to create a collaborative environment where academia, industry, and government can work together to develop cutting-edge solutions tailored to the country’s unique challenges and opportunities.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the support for startups will not only stimulate local innovation but also position Nigeria as a hub for technological advancements in Africa. The development and innovation sandboxes will provide a practical and supportive space for entrepreneurs to test their ideas, refine their products, and bring them to market, thereby contributing to the growth of a vibrant tech ecosystem.<\/p>\n
NITDA’s focus on talent development is crucial for ensuring that Nigeria has the skilled workforce needed to sustain its technological progress. The 3MTT program is expected to produce a new generation of tech-savvy professionals who can drive the country’s digital transformation. By investing in the education and training of its citizens, Nigeria can build a strong foundation for long-term economic prosperity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Emmanuel Ogbodo The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced plans to establish research centres focused on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain across Nigeria\u2019s six geo-political zones. This initiative was disclosed by Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, during his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-37315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-featured"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37315"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37315\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37316,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37315\/revisions\/37316"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}