In a significant leap towards technological advancement, Nigeria has unveiled its pioneering Multilingual Language Model (LLM) through the Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy. Spearheaded by Nigerian Minister of Communications, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the groundbreaking AI initiative marks the country’s ambition to lead AI development in Africa.
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The announcement of the LLM’s launch came on Friday, April 19, following a four-day AI workshop held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Dr. Tijani highlighted the collaborative efforts involving Nigerian AI company Awarritech, global tech firm DataDotOrg, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Center for AI and Robotics (NCAIR) in bringing the AI tool to fruition.
The LLM, trained in five indigenous languages alongside English, aims to diversify language representation in AI datasets, fostering the development of AI solutions tailored to Nigeria’s linguistic landscape. Dr. Tijani underscored the project’s support from over 7,000 members of Nigeria’s 3MTT program, emphasizing its potential to drive AI innovation.
Furthermore, the workshop yielded the initial draft of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, signifying significant progress and collaboration towards fostering AI development in the country. Dr. Tijani also announced the establishment of NCAIR, dedicated to advancing research and development in AI, robotics, UAVs, and IoT, with a focus on practical applications across key sectors.
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