Mariam Sanni
The federal government through the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dt Bosun Tijani has emphasized the need for African nations to adopt AI and precision agriculture to close the productivity gap.
The Minister made this known during his remark at the GITEX Nigeria event held in Abuja.
He explained that there is need for nations to embrace the digitization of African realities, including local languages, farming practices, and health systems, to ensure AI models reflect the continent’s unique context.
The minister noted that that there is need for collaboration on medium and long-term infrastructure plans to improve connectivity and access to clean energy across Africa, making it more affordable and accessible.
He stressed the importance of closing the productivity gap to avoid Africa becoming a continent of consumers rather than producers.
He stated that AI is presented as a critical tool for Africa’s development, but it must be adopted in a way that reflects each nation’s unique needs.
“Innovative in some of our home economy is losing competitiveness if we do not adopt the true, the same truth, the central cahallenge , therefore , AI is becoming the engine of productivity.
“how quickly do our nations attempt to also adopt this technology? And productivity, as we know, is the foundation of competitiveness. It is how wealth is created and joy created, and joy is also what we need in large quantity,” he said .
He emphasized the importance of balancing the conversation around AI strategy in Africa, warning against the dangers of harmonization.
He urges each African country to understand and explore how AI can enhance productivity and competitiveness.
He noted the need for shared standards and common protocols in AI governance is discussed, while acknowledging the need for national approaches.
He reflected on the responsibility of leaders to ensure that Africa benefits from the AI revolution.
The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA) , Kashifu Abdullahi during his remark at the event, explained the transformative potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by AI, and its impact on Africa.
He emphasized the need for Africa to build capabilities in policies, computing, infrastructure, and human capital to avoid being left behind.
According to him, Nigeria is highlighted for its initiatives in talent development, digital literacy, and infrastructure projects like Project Risk to connect the unconnected and build data centers.
The NITDA boss stressed the importance of shared infrastructure and local algorithms to ensure cultural representation.
He discussed the importance of building an enabling environment for AI, including funding for AI research and partnerships with big tech companies.
He acknowledged the Minister’s efforts in creating a national AI strategy and funding AI research are also mentioned as crucial steps towards Africa’s participation in the AI revolution.
