🔍 Innovative Technology Initiative
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to establish research centers focused on emerging technologies such as Blockchain. The announcement was made by NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuw, during the IoT West Africa conference in Lagos. According to Inuwa, these research centers will concentrate on key technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), additive manufacturing, robotics, and blockchain technology.
🌐 Geographical Distribution and Support for Startups
The centers will be distributed across the “six geopolitical zones of Nigeria,” Inuwa stated. In addition to establishing these research units, the government will also support Nigerian startups in developing products using these technologies. In this context, “innovation sandboxes” will be used to develop use cases and ultimately bring these products to market.
🎓 Training and Socio-Economic Impact
In this scenario, NITDA is training the national population through its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program. By 2027, the government aims to equip three million Nigerians with the necessary skills to bolster its current initiatives. As a broader consequence, Inuwa expects an increase in foreign currency remittances as individuals trained through these initiatives leave the country.
🚀 Nigeria: The Next Silicon Valley of Africa?
Shitij Taneja, Managing Director of Vertex Next, the organizers of the IoT West Africa conference, called Nigeria “the next Silicon Valley of Africa.” He believes Nigeria’s vast young population and its dynamic startup ecosystem position it as a leading force. “The reason why we are hosting IoT West Africa, which runs concurrently with the Africa Data Center and Cloud Expo Africa, is because we see a lot of potential in the market and the growing number of young people working towards technology development,” Taneja added, emphasizing the conference’s goal of attracting investors to Nigerian startups.
🌍 Focus on Emerging Technologies
Nigeria’s focus on emerging technologies has been evident in recent months. In May, NITDA restructured the National Blockchain Policy Steering Committee (NBPSC) to facilitate better implementation of its National Blockchain Policy. The nation is also exploring potential collaborations with the United States of America to explore the potential of AI and other emerging technologies, despite recent legal tensions with the economic superpower over a detained Binance executive. According to the Blockchain Industry Coordinating Committee of Nigeria (BICCoN), a blockchain advocacy group, this development could lead to fragmented relationships with global partners.
