It appears the Nigerian government is now fully set to take the driving seat in pushing Artificial Intelligence as a major policy thrust.
The minister of science and technology, Ogbonnaya Onu said this in Abuja.
If created, the AI agency is expected to not only increase Nigeria’s manpower needs in innovation and research, but will also help create jobs, grow the economy and boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.
“We are very committed to ensure that we have at least one research institute, centre or Agency that will concentrate on artificial intelligence and robotics,” he said.
“The institute once established would be useful and Academy of Engineers that would work closely with the ministry to attain maturity.”
Onu noted that with the establishment of artificial intelligence the level and quality of research, universities, and industrial laboratories in the country would increase and could compete favourable with international standard.
At present Nigerian innovators are using AI mostly through FinTech, Blockchain and Robotics.
It is hoped that with the Federal government now having the appetite for AI, the full launch of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Nigeria will take off.