Nigeria, Meta launch AI accelerator programme

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has partnered with Meta to launch the Llama Impact Accelerator, promoting impactful AI development in Nigeria.

The Minister, Bosun Tijani, confirmed this in a statement released on Tuesday by Sade Dada, head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa at Meta.

Mr Tijani described the partnership as a significant step in Nigeria’s mission to nurture a thriving AI ecosystem and drive national development through innovation.

He said the government views AI as a key tool for addressing national challenges. The programme will equip innovators with vital tools and expert guidance.

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“This initiative forms part of Meta’s broader effort to democratise responsible AI and foster local innovation across Nigeria’s growing technology landscape,” the minister noted.

Mr Tijani added that collaboration with government, academia and civil society will help cultivate a more inclusive, forward-looking AI community in the country.

Ms Dada stated that Meta also partnered with the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

She explained that the eight-month programme targets early-stage startups using open-source Llama models to tackle national and regional challenges in four key areas.

The priority sectors include agriculture, security and safety, healthcare, and a ‘wild card’ category for high-impact innovations in any other field.

“The wild card category encourages bold and creative AI applications that could bring substantial impact to underserved sectors,” Ms Dada said.

She added that the programme starts with a six-week incubation phase, offering technical training and mentorship from industry leaders and AI professionals.

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This is followed by six months of extended support, including access to further technical resources and relevant opportunities for growth and scaling.

Ms Dada said Meta was thrilled to collaborate with FMCIDE on this initiative, recognising Nigeria’s strong innovation ecosystem and growing pool of AI talent.

She added that Meta aims to empower communities through open-source AI, tailored to address Nigeria’s unique development challenges.

“The accelerator offers local talent the infrastructure, tools and mentorship needed to build responsible solutions using open-source models like Meta’s Llama,” she said.

(NAN)