Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has declared that the country is positioned to lead Africa in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, signaling a strategic shift toward innovation-driven economic growth.
The statement was delivered during the launch of the Artificial Intelligence University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at the University of Lagos, where the federal government outlined its ambition to transition Nigeria from a consumer of foreign technologies to a producer of homegrown solutions.
Don’t Miss This: Cash Transfer Beneficiaries Now 15 Million – FG: Nigeria Expands Social Protection Programme
Shettima emphasized that Nigeria is building the digital foundations required to dominate AI development on the continent, citing investments in digital public infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, and governance frameworks for responsible AI deployment.
According to him, artificial intelligence represents a transformative, general-purpose technology capable of reshaping economies, enhancing productivity, and expanding human potential.
He stressed that Nigeria must take an active role in shaping this future rather than remaining passive in the global AI shift.
Central to this strategy is the UniPod initiative, developed through collaboration between the federal government, state governments, the United Nations Development Programme, and Nigerian universities.
The platform is designed as a digital innovation hub where students, researchers, and industry players can develop AI solutions tailored to local challenges.
The initiative aims to connect academic research with real-world applications, enabling innovation across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and finance.
Don’t Miss This: Cash Transfer Beneficiaries Now 15 Million – FG: Nigeria Expands Social Protection Programme
It also reflects a broader policy direction focused on converting technological capacity into measurable economic output and national competitiveness.
Shettima reiterated that Nigeria’s long-term objective is to establish itself as a continental leader in AI by fostering local talent, strengthening institutional capacity, and embedding innovation into its economic structure.
Source: Punch.ng
