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 under the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) programmes.
Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, announced the grants in a post on X, where he outlined the Ministry’s strategic plan for the upcoming year.
He stated that the government aims to harness the outcomes of the funded research and innovations to drive economic growth.
“After awarding grants totalling N200 million under these two thematic programs to 55 Nigerian researchers and innovators, we are collating the outcomes of their demonstration projects so as to scale relevant solutions to businesses to drive increased productivity.
“We plan to expand these demonstration projects to other sectors Such as education and healthcare,” the Minister stated.
The selected AI researchers will focus on critical sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, finance, and education.
Mr Tijani emphasised that NAIRS seeks to foster a robust AI ecosystem in Nigeria by providing financial support and encouraging collaboration among researchers and organisations within the AI industry.
“The proposals address some of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges and have the potential to revolutionise industries, empower communities, and unlock new opportunities,” Mr Tijani said.
Additionally, in January, the 4IRTA programme shortlisted 10 startups to receive up to N10 million each to enhance the application of technology in agriculture, furthering the government’s commitment to leveraging innovation for national development.
