The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has awarded N200 million in grants to 55 Nigerian researchers and innovators. These funds were distributed under the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) programs, aiming to foster technological advancements in various sectors.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, shared the announcement on X, revealing the government’s strategic focus on leveraging these innovations to enhance economic productivity. The selected projects target key areas like healthcare, agriculture, finance, and education, with the goal of scaling successful solutions to benefit the broader economy.
The NAIR scheme, launched last December, provided grants to 45 researchers working on AI projects designed to tackle pressing national challenges. In January, the 4IRTA program shortlisted 10 startups, each receiving up to N10 million to advance agricultural technologies, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate to expand agricultural output nationwide.
In addition to these initiatives, the government is refining its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, expected to become a guiding policy for AI development across the country. The AI Collective has also been established to foster collaboration on AI projects, hackathons, and seminars.
Notably, the Nigerian government recently introduced a Large Language Model (LLM) to improve AI solutions in Africa. Developed by Awarri, in partnership with global tech firm DataDotOrg and local agencies, this tool will support low-resource languages and accented English, positioning Nigeria as a leader in AI innovation.
