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Inuwa, NITDA DG, Seeks AI to Increase Productivity in Critical Sectors of the Economy

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Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reiterated the need to explore and use AI in bolstering productivity in critical sectors of the Nation’s economy.

This is as the world increasingly leverages cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping lives and businesses,

Inuwa made this known while delivering a Keynote Address on “Artificial Intelligence: Effective Communication for National Security” at the 2023 Security and Spokespersons Awards and Conference which held in Abuja.

Alluding to the fact that Artificial Intelligence is already changing daily lives, almost entirely in ways that improve human health, safety, and productivity, Inuwa averred that AI is beyond a tool, as it is a new way of building a relationship between humans and machines.

“In building that relationship, we need to look beyond just having a tool we use for our daily activities and start thinking in the direction of developing a system which can help meet certain human needs”, Inuwa said.

While highlighting some of the benefits of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, the Director-General said that the algorithm which is the AI that powers social media is a machine that needs to be trained and controlled, in order to avoid it spiralling out of control.

“Due to the happenings on social media, industry practitioners are pushing for “explainability in the AI”, also referred to as “black box” within the AI algorithm”

“Imagine having a system that makes decisions for us and does not understand the way it came about making that decision, now, that is indeed a red flag, having AI go out of control, so, we need to get AI to be always for humanity, because it is the most existential threat to humanity today”, the DG stressed.

Inuwa said, “countries around the world are making efforts toward deciphering the functionalities of artificial intelligence and coming up with policies and putting standards in place to ensure they are AI ready countries, and so Nigeria cannot take the back seat”.

“In Nigeria, we are looking at it from three perspectives; having AI ready principles, data and AI ready security”.

“This invariably means that as a matter of principle, we should have redlines that AI must not cross, to achieve this, last year we started our journey by crowdsourcing on how to build National AI Policy and we have the first draft ready”, Inuwa maintained.

According to Inuwa, “when the present administration came onboard, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mandated the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to accelerate the diversification of the Nigerian economy by enhancing productivity in critical sectors through technological innovation, and we strongly believe that to achieve this, AI is our best tool to use in that regard”.

“To take this further, we launched a call for research, where we are offering a grant to forty five Nigerians to do research on Artificial Intelligence, so that we get a feedback on how to use AI in Health, Education, Agriculture, Finance, Security and many more.”

“We are giving up to N5Million to each researcher because we want to co-create and design the policy collaboratively, not the government using arm chair theories to come up with the policies, we need everybody to be onboard”, the Director-General noted.

The NITDA Boss who also emphasised the need to speed up efforts to connect the unconnected in order for them to be digitally feasible ahead of the AI adoption and deployment in the country, added that if they are infeasible, the AI will not consider them while making decisions.

Inuwa who went on to explain other perspectives, including data and security, sued for global standards for the regulation of AI.

“We are seeing how AI is becoming biased, gender biased and even exhibiting racist behaviour, partly because of the data used to develop it. So, if you develop an AI system amd train it in another country and decide to take it elsewhere, it will not work, hence, the need for global data for every one use to train it”, Inuwa enunciated.

Also harping on Nigeria’s abundant resources, talents and youthful population, Inuwa affirmed that the country has a competitive advantage in becoming the frontier in digital technological innovation.

“Although we lost out during the first, second and third Industrial Revolutions because they needed capital investment but in the fourth,  we can use our talents to compete with any country in the world, given the fact that talent is the human component of technology”.

“To achieve this, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, unveiled the Strategic Plan for the Ministry which has strategic pillars, including, Knowledge, Policies, Infrastructure, and Trade”, the DG mentioned.

In conclusion, Inuwa avowed that AI is a top priority for NITDA as the Agency’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) underpins the attention drawn to it.

The event which was the 5th in its series was organised by Image Merchant Promotion Ltd in conjunction with Coalition Society Organizations also featured presentations on Security and Spokespersons Communication Awards as well as goodwill messages.


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Adeleke Describes Adenuga’s Contribution to African Economy as Unquantifiable

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Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Osun State Governor, has described the Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Jr., as an icon who has made enormous contributions to the development of Nigeria and Africa.

Speaking when he received the Public Sector team from Globacom in his office at Osogbo recently, the governor also commended the positive impact the company has made in the telecoms industry in terms of innovation and pricing.

He described Dr Adenuga as a great believer in Nigeria “whose impact on the Nigerian and the African economy cannot be quantified”.

Adeleke assured the Globacom team led by Niyi Odejobi of his government’s readiness to explore areas of business partnership with the company. “Be rest assured that this partnership is already a reality. We just need to work out the details”, Senator Adeleke noted.

He urged telecommunications companies to strengthen ties with the state government, adding that “the subnational entities are where your market is. Even though the regulatory body is national, your market base remains the states and the local governments. You must deliberately prioritize partnership with the state government.

“The telecom community must understand that giving full support to the states in terms of payment of right taxes and corporate social responsibility is an investment in your market. The more robust the state governments are, the more buoyant your market will be,” the governor said.

In his own remarks, Odejobi pledged Globacom’s support for the growth and development of Osun State, adding that it would deploy various internet and digital infrastructure to promote governance and businesses in the state.


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Foodstuff Store introduces Innovative Recycling Program

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Foodstuff Store, an AgriTech company on Wednesday announced the introduction of its innovative recycling program. The expansion of the corporate mission to include waste management and recycling solutions underlines the company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Foodstuff Store is providing a way by which their customers who are provided with wholesome and fresh food products directly from farmers can now dispose of their plastic wastes as an added service, thereby reducing their ecological footprint.

For every waste item delivered for recycling by customers, they’ll receive a credit that can be used for a next purchase at the Foodstuff Store.

Not only will this ensure a contribution to a cleaner environment, but it will also provide a way to incentivise their efforts towards adopting sustainability practices.

“We are thrilled to offer our customers a convenient way to recycle and contribute to a cleaner Nigeria and a cleaner planet,” says Diana Tenabe, Chief Operating Officer at Foodstuff Store. “By offering rewards for recycling, we hope to incentivize eco-conscious behavior within our communities in Nigeria.”

Nigeria faces a significant challenge with plastic pollution. The prevalence of single-use plastics, which is caused by widespread use of sachet water pouches, plastic shopping bags, and take-away containers, leads to massive waste generation. There are also recycling capacity challenges in Nigeria, where only a small percentage of plastic waste gets recycled.

Additionally, indiscriminate disposal of plastics and other waste materials contributes to overflowing landfills with plastics, clogged drainages that lead to flooding, and harming marine life.

Foodstuff Store believes that by working together with its customers, it can create a positive impact on the environment. This new program allows customers to enjoy the quality products and services they expect from Foodstuff Store, while also contributing to a more sustainable future.


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Edenlife Opens the first Homemade Outlet Store in Oniru, to open 49 more Across the Country 

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Homemade by Eden, the food retail business of Nigerian home concierge startup, Edenlife has marked a significant step towards National expansion with the launch of its first Outlet store in Oniru, Lagos State. This move signals the company’s commitment to bringing its signature homemade meals directly to consumers across the country.

Commenting on the launch of the Oniru Outlet, Nadayar Enegesi, CEO of Edenliife stated, ‘’At Eden Life, it’s in our DNA to adapt and meet the evolving needs of our consumers.

The new outlet store by Homemade exemplifies this commitment. These outlet stores will deliver delicious, home-cooked meals to its customers and create job opportunities in logistics and tech support, driving local economic growth.

By sourcing fresh ingredients from smaller Nigerian farms, we strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure a reliable supply chain. And there’s more to come we have plans to launch mobile kitchens in other strategic locations across the nation.

It’s a win-win situation – our customers enjoy a taste of home, we create jobs, empower local businesses, and contribute to a stronger Nigerian economy.’’

The establishment of these outlet stores translates to new job opportunities in logistics and potentially tech support for the mobile units. Additionally, the focus on fresh, local ingredients could encourage partnerships with smaller Nigerian farms, strengthening the agricultural sector and supporting local food production.

This localized approach to food delivery keeps money circulating within communities and fosters a more sustainable economic ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch event on Friday, May 10, 2024, Orafiri Adoki, Business Lead of Homemade stated that some of Nigeria’s food culture has not been fully explored.

She stated, “Nigeria has such a rich culture around food, which has not been explored to its maximum. So, with the launch of the Homemade outlet, we hope to introduce some of the meals Nigerians are used to at home while providing creative and innovative ways to enjoy these meals,” .

As Nigeria’s e-commerce sector continues to evolve, Eden Life’s innovative approach positions the company as a frontrunner in driving industry growth and reshaping consumer expectations. By providing a seamless omnichannel shopping experience, Edenliife not only captures market share but also cultivates meaningful connections with Nigerian consumers.

Nigeria’s e-commerce industry has been experiencing a boom in recent years, driven by factors like increasing internet penetration, smartphone adoption, and a growing young population. The e-commerce market in Nigeria is estimated to be around USD 8.53 billion in 2024.

It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.82% during the forecast period (2024-2029), reaching approximately USD 14.92 billion by 2029. E-commerce is expected to continue its strong growth trajectory in Nigeria, presenting immense potential for e-commerce platforms like Edenlife to capitalize on the rising demand for convenient and affordable food options.


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