Nigeria Secures $3.5M to Take an AI Leap
The Nigerian government said the funding will help it and several of its tech partners enhance the nation's AI capabilities.
April 21, 2024 04:44 AM
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TL;DR Nigeria has embarked on a significant journey towards embracing artificial intelligence (AI), securing $3.5 million in funding for AI development. This initiative, supported by global tech giants and led by the Nigerian government, aims to enhance the nation's AI capabilities, focusing on multilingual large language models.
The Nigerian government, via the Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has recently launched a groundbreaking multilingual large language model (LLM). Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Communications Minister, unveiled this development during a four-day AI workshop in Abuja.
The Nigerian AI firm Awarritech, the international tech firm DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Center for AI and Robotics (NCAIR) have signed the collaborative agreement.
The AI model has been meticulously trained in five low-resource languages and high-end English, aiming to improve the representation of underrepresented languages in AI datasets.
Dr. Tijani highlighted the involvement of over 7,000 members from the 3MTT program in Nigeria, enhancing AI development and application within the country.
"Such initiative is also powered by the participation of more than 7,000 members from the 3MTT program in Nigeria, therefore increasing the quality of AI development and its application in the country."
Alongside introducing the AI model, Nigeria presented the draft of its National AI Strategy, a result of extensive consultations with over 120 AI experts. This strategy demonstrates Nigeria's commitment to leveraging AI for economic development and governance.
The project's initial funding of $3.5 million includes contributions from international and local partners and significant investments from global technology leaders such as Meta, Google, and Microsoft.
The United States has expressed interest in partnering with Nigeria to explore opportunities within the digital economy and AI sectors. The partnership will foster economic growth and ensure AI technologies' safe, transparent deployment.
NCAIR, a central institution in this initiative, has undergone significant upgrades to support AI research and development.
These improvements have substantially increased its computational capabilities, allowing for various activities, including AI research in government sectors, remote connections with AI hubs, and support for national and academic research projects.
This endeavor not only strengthens Nigeria's AI infrastructure but also sets a solid foundation for future AI application advancements across various economic sectors.
