The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with Nkenne AI to advance artificial intelligence‑powered language technologies across Nigeria. The initiative aims to improve multilingual digital services across sectors such as healthcare, finance, and government.
Speaking at the announcement, Dr Bunmi Ajala, National Director of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) under NITDA, said, “This partnership will accelerate the adoption of AI solutions that cater to Nigeria’s linguistic diversity. Our goal is to integrate advanced AI tools into public services and foster digital inclusion nationwide.”
Dr Ajala added, “We are committed to expanding high‑performance computing infrastructure, strengthening AI talent pipelines, and leveraging initiatives like GovNet to support innovation at scale.”
Michael Odokara‑Okigbo, CEO of Nkenne AI, emphasised the company’s focus on local languages, saying, “Nigeria has over 500 spoken languages, and our AI language solutions aim to make digital services accessible to everyone, regardless of the language they speak.”
The partnership is expected to boost sustainable AI business models, strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global AI landscape through collaboration between government and industry.
Senior AI Writer
Bio: Okikiola is a writer and AI enthusiast with a background in Office Technology and Management from the Federal Polytechnic Offa. She went further to study an MSc in International Business at De Montfort University (DMU). With extensive work experience across administrative and business roles, she now focuses on exploring how artificial intelligence can transform work, innovation, and everyday life.