During a visit from the Nigeria Science Academy in Abuja on Monday, the
Minister for Science and Technology revealed that the Federal Government has put plans in place to create an agency for artificial intelligence and robotics in the country.
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu explained that the Ministry had been working in the background for a long time to facilitate the establishment of the agency. He said they had gone through a number of processes and finally were getting ready to start the agency.
The purpose of the visit was to deliver an official invitation to activities and programmes organised by the Nigeria Science Academy.
According to Onu, the agency would create more employment opportunities for Nigerians and increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“We are very committed to ensuring that we have at least one research institute, centre or agency that will concentrate on artificial intelligence and robotics,”
Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister for Science and Technology
The minister went on to express hopes that through the agency, the quality of research done in the country would improve. He also said that it would be of positive impact to universities and industrial laboratories in the country. This will help the country compete more favourably according to international standards.
“The institute once established would be useful and the Academy of Engineers would work closely with the ministry to attain maturity.”
Ogbonnaya Onu
In hopes that relevant stakeholders in the private sector would show interest in the works of the agency, Onu went on say that the positive ideas were welcome.
These ideas would be turned into products and services that would be made available in the marketplace. It is hoped that the agency will help to grow the economy and may be commercialised in the end.
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