NITDA, Wigwe University Move to Seal AI, Agriculture Partnership
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NITDA, Wigwe University Move to Seal AI, Agriculture Partnership
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA and Wigwe University have begun moves to formalise a strategic partnership on artificial intelligence, agricultural innovation and digital talent development.
The development followed a high-level meeting in Abuja between the Vice-Chancellor of Wigwe University, Prof. Marwan Al-Akaidi, and senior officials of NITDA.
Speaking during the engagement, Al-Akaidi said the university, founded under the vision of the late Herbert Wigwe, was established to become “the university of Africa,” focused on delivering quality teaching and transformative research across the continent.
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He said Nigeria possesses immense talent but lacks adequate structures and opportunities to harness it effectively, stressing that strong partnerships with government and industry were critical to bridging the gap.
According to him, the institution is already running an AI for Health initiative in Nigeria with a team of 10 researchers and is working towards establishing a full-scale artificial intelligence centre in the country.
“We don’t want to be passive users of foreign AI tools. We want to create the Nigerian AI — one that reflects our languages, realities and priorities,” he said.
Al-Akaidi added that the university’s location in Rivers State offers opportunities for AI-driven agricultural research, particularly in livestock management, land optimisation, food processing and productivity improvement.
He noted that technology could significantly boost Nigeria’s agricultural output, citing global examples where fewer livestock produce higher yields through the application of advanced feeding systems and digital monitoring tools.
Responding, NITDA’s representative, Dr Aristotle Onumo, described the agency as Nigeria’s technology powerhouse, with mandates covering IT development, regulation, innovation, research and standardisation.
He said the proposals align with NITDA’s strategic priorities, including the operations of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, adding that collaboration with academia remains vital to building a sustainable digital economy.
“Whatever we commit to, we will do. We understand that no single institution has all the answers. Partnership is key,” Aristotle said.
Also speaking, NITDA’s Director of Research and Development, Dr Kumo, disclosed that the agency was strengthening Nigeria’s research ecosystem with the goal of moving the country into the top 25 per cent of global research performance.
He said areas such as AI, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, Internet of Things, blockchain and additive manufacturing, which Wigwe University is prioritising, align with the agency’s research agenda.
Meanwhile, Dr Tambuwal of NITDA’s Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department stressed the need to produce digitally fluent graduates, noting that many workers still lack the skills required to function effectively in a technology-driven workplace.
He said universities must ensure continuous curriculum review, particularly in computing and engineering, to avoid producing graduates with outdated knowledge.
Al-Akaidi, in his remarks, maintained that universities must produce job creators rather than job seekers, adding that students of Wigwe University were already developing innovative solutions, including an educational application being prepared by second-year students.
The two institutions agreed to set up contact teams to identify specific areas of collaboration and develop implementation frameworks covering AI research, agriculture, digital literacy, virtual learning and emerging technologies.
