The Federal Government has supported 55 Nigerian researchers and innovators with N200 million for two technological programmes, namely the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA), in furtherance of its current drive to digitalize Nigerian economy.
While the NAIRS is designed to advance AI researches in the country, 4IRTA aims to support the development and application of emerging technologies such as blockchain, quantum computing, and robotics.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who shared this information via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, said the funding support was to demonstrate the government’s commitment to fostering technological advancement and innovation in Nigeria.
Specifically, he explained that the grants were aimed at promoting research in artificial intelligence (AI) and enabling the application of cutting-edge Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in various sectors of the economy, among other initiatives towards positioning Nigeria as a global leader in tech-driven solutions.
Tijani stated: “Through NAIRS and 4IRTA, we are investing in the minds and creativity of Nigerian researchers and innovators, giving them the resources they need to pioneer breakthroughs that will shape our future. The grants will catalyze innovation in critical sectors, from agriculture and healthcare to finance and manufacturing.”
The minister maintained that the Federal Government remained fully committed to building a robust tech ecosystem, and these grants are just the beginning of a larger strategy to elevate Nigeria’s position in the global tech landscape.
The grants are expected to strengthen collaboration between academia, the private sector, and government institutions, driving Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, and the beneficiaries were selected based on their innovative ideas and research proposals that demonstrate potential for scalable impact.
Industry experts believe that as Nigeria continues to commit more resources, especially funds towards technological advancement, the NAIRS and 4IRTA programmes will serve as foundational pillars in promoting research, innovation, and digital economy growth, with the attendant implications for job creation for ICT-savvy Nigerians in the rapidly evolving ICT-powered global economic space.
