Strategic cooperation and national AI strategy disclosure
In a breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa, Nigeria has launched the first multilingual Large Language Model (LLM), marking a major step forward in the country’s ambitions to lead AI development on the continent. The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Dr. Bosun Tijani, following a productive four-day AI workshop held in Abuja.
Presentation 3 – Nigeria Multilingual Large Language Model
Nigeria’s first multilingual Large Language Model (LLM) launched @awarritech, @DataDotOrg, @NITDANigeria and @NCAIRNigeria.
The LLM will receive training in five low-resource languages… pic.twitter.com/97THQGnPmc
– doctor. Bosun Tijani (@bosuntijani) April 19, 2024
source: doctor. Bosun Tijani
Joint efforts drive AI initiatives
The development of the LLM was facilitated through the joint efforts of key stakeholders, including Nigerian AI company Awarritech, global technology company DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Center for AI and Robotics (NCAIR). This multilingual model is designed to be trained in five low-resource languages and accented English, improving the representation of these languages in AI applications.
Dr. Tijani emphasized the importance of models, saying, “The LLM will ensure stronger linguistic representations from existing datasets for the development of artificial intelligence solutions.” He added that the project would benefit from strengthening local expertise and participation through the support of over 7,000 colleagues in the 3MTT Nigeria programme.
National AI strategy and infrastructure advancement
The workshop also served as a platform for the initial draft of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, which includes significant developments and collaborative plans to drive Nigeria’s AI capabilities. Among the key announcements was a partnership between 21st Century Technologies, Galaxy Backbone and NCAIR Nigeria to accelerate the development of AI projects critical to the country.
21st Century Technologies supports local researchers, startups and government agencies in AI projects hosted at GBB data centers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and funds GPU acquisitions to enhance the country’s computing capacity.
NCAIR activation and global partner support
In addition to technological advancements, the Minister announced the relaunch of NCAIR, which will strengthen its role as a digital innovation and research center focused on AI, robotics, UAVs and the Internet of Things (IoT). These efforts are intended to promote practical application of these technologies across key sectors in Nigeria.
Financing and International Support
The National AI Strategy has garnered significant support, receiving $3.5 million in seed funding from a combination of foreign and domestic partners, including UNDP, UNESCO, major technology giants such as Meta, Google and Microsoft, and educational institutions such as the Lagos Business School. The strategy includes $1.5 million in direct financing and an additional $2 million invested in a pilot program by 21st Century Technologies.