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Nigeria and the United States are set to discuss potential partnerships focusing on the digital economy, emerging technology, and AI (artificial intelligence). These discussions will be part of an upcoming conference in Abuja, organized under the auspices of the U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission.
Announcement of the Bi-National Conference
Mr. Arthur Brown, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, announced the initiative during the closing ceremony of a four-day Workshop on National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Abuja. Brown indicated that senior officials from the U.S. government would gather in Abuja within two weeks to deliberate on the future of AI and technology development between the two nations.
The Deputy Chief of Mission also disclosed plans for an artificial intelligence conference in Lagos, aimed at building on the momentum from the Abuja workshop. This event seeks to strengthen economic ties and ensure artificial intelligence deployment across borders is safe, secure, and transparent.
Highlighting the potential benefits of such partnerships, Brown pointed to the United Nations resolution on AI, which Nigeria recently endorsed, and praised Nigeria’s commitment to fostering a robust economic relationship with the United States.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy, underscored the urgency for African leaders to support technological aspirations actively. “Governance in AI should be prioritized over mere revenue generation, as it is a pivotal tool for enhancing productivity across various sectors,” Tijani remarked.
Economic Impact of AI
A PricewaterhouseCoopers study projects that artificial intelligence could add as much as $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with significant gains in productivity and new products and services. Nigeria, through its collaborative efforts at the workshop, has taken steps to capture a share of this potential by launching its first Multilingual Large Language Model (LLM), marking a significant milestone in its quest to lead AI development in Africa.
Investor emphasis on technological change—especially accelerated AI adoption—is the most influential factor of how businesses will create #value in the next 3 years. Learn about the risks and benefits to your organisation of a swift #AI adoption: https://t.co/gbxKXiRhOI pic.twitter.com/wxBwBBj9RH — PwC (@PwC) April 19, 2024
The workshop, which was a collaborative effort involving the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), has set the stage for Nigeria to implement an effective artificial intelligence strategy nationally.
As preparations for the U.S.-Nigeria conference continue, both nations look forward to advancing discussions that could shape the future of artificial intelligence and technology cooperation on a global scale.
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