NUC Signs MoU to Develop AI Ecosystem in Nigerian Universities
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Daimlas Corporation, a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation, to create an extensive AI ecosystem within Nigerian universities.
This landmark partnership is designed to equip academic institutions with state-of-the-art AI resources, research prospects, and a framework for AI-focused education.
During the official MoU signing ceremony in Abuja on Thursday for the NUC AI Centre of Excellence, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, affirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring the project’s success.
“Based on the explanation and what they say, the next four years at least. It’s enough time for us to see and review and see that we are prepared. You know, it’s very good.”
“Because at times, it’s like a gauge, so to say. And when you start it, then you see that you cannot do without it. And you are prepared to pay the one-off cost.”
“So I think it’s a very good thing. And we are happy that we are established already in many institutions that are well-known around the world. So I must say that we are very happy that we willingly signed this thing,” the executive secretary said.
Earlier, Joseph Wehbe, CEO of Daimlas Corporation, based in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, stated that their journey towards this initiative began five years ago, recognizing that AI is transforming all aspects of society and academia.
According to him, universities in the United States, along with federal states, local governments, and community colleges, are all working to define their AI strategies, and their proposed solution is a platform designed to unify the AI ecosystem.
He explained, “In a fully functioning AI ecosystem, you have AI research centres, you have AI labs, AI for entrepreneurs, AI for kids, AI for platform companies, for small businesses. And when you bring all these ecosystems together, you have great pathways for everyone that wants to participate in the AI economy. The taxonomy of an AI ecosystem is different from an ICT ecosystem.”
