The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has unveiled a visionary plan to cultivate a robust community of artificial intelligence (AI) developers within the nation.
This announcement underscores NITDA’s commitment to shaping the technological landscape and equipping individuals with cutting-edge skills.
Inuwa revealed this ambitious initiative during a visit by instructors and beneficiaries of the NITDA AI Developers Training (NAIDT).
The training, a collaboration between NITDA’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) and Google Developers Group (GDG), has yielded significant accomplishments, including the nurturing of instructors, startups, and job opportunities for participants.
A total of 1,227 beneficiaries across 10 cohorts have undergone rigorous coaching and lectures to enhance their programming expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
In recognition of his unwavering support for the training project, Inuwa was presented with an award by the visiting group.
He emphasized NITDA’s success in achieving its initial objectives in Abuja and announced plans to extend the program to other states across Nigeria.
The overarching vision is to establish developer communities nationwide, fostering a culture of learning, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
Inuwa stated, “I believe we can start with three states this year, then strategize on how we can take it to other states; with time, extend it to local governments. This is driven by my firm belief that in Nigeria, our most valuable asset as a nation is our human capital.”
The director-general’s vision goes beyond training to empowering participants to become trainers themselves, further amplifying the impact of the program.
He highlighted the importance of tracking the progress of beneficiaries, encouraging their transition from trainees to business owners, and connecting them with job opportunities.
The NAIDT platform holds potential for indigenous super apps like generative AI and language modeling. Inuwa proposed collaborating with NITDA to conduct Proof-of-Concept (POC) projects that align with the government’s digitization efforts.
This alignment would result in cost savings and enhanced service delivery efficiency across government services.
Engr. Ya’u Garba, the National Director of NCAIR, highlighted the origins of the project and the DG’s directive to train one million developers under the theme “Learn, Teach, and Earn.”
The initiative’s structure involves three levels of training: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced, aimed at equipping participants with skills to excel in the IT field.
Representatives from the Google Developers Group (GDG) expressed gratitude for NITDA’s consistent support and emphasized the conducive learning environment provided.
Beneficiaries shared their transformative experiences, with some transitioning from trainees to trainers.
This shift in roles not only validates the program’s effectiveness but also demonstrates its potential to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of skilled AI developers.
