The Federal Government has established Nigeria’s first National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence at the University of Jos, Plateau State, underscoring a strategic national commitment to research, innovation and skills development in artificial intelligence.
The centre was formally unveiled by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, during the University of Jos’ 50th convocation ceremony, where he emphasised the importance of building local capacity in the fast-evolving field of AI. The initiative is designed to serve as a national hub for advanced research, talent development, industry collaboration and policy engagement.
In his address, Dr Tijani outlined the government’s vision for Nigeria’s AI ecosystem, stressing that the country must not remain a passive adopter of technology. “AI is built on numbers, and Nigeria has the numbers. We are too big a country not to participate meaningfully in artificial intelligence,” he said, highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage with its large and growing population.
The minister further stressed that universities must lead research into locally relevant datasets and contextual intelligence that reflect the country’s social realities, languages, cultures and economic structures rather than relying solely on imported models trained on foreign data. “Artificial intelligence systems must understand Nigeria’s reality, our languages, our culture, our social structures,” Dr Tijani added, underscoring the importance of inclusive AI research.
The choice of the University of Jos as host for the centre forms part of a broader strategy to empower Nigerian universities to become engines of innovation and thought leadership from the Global South. As an alumnus of the institution, Dr Tijani noted that the university must move beyond observing the country’s digital future to actively shaping it.
The new centre will also support ongoing government programmes such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, which aims to develop a robust pipeline of technical and digital skills across the country. By situating the centre within a federal university, the government aims to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers while nurturing homegrown AI talent capable of contributing to national and international research.
University authorities welcomed the designation, describing it as a recognition of the institution’s growing role in technology-driven research and national development. The centre is expected to attract partnerships with private-sector organisations, international research bodies, and development partners interested in advancing responsible AI adoption across Africa.
The launch of the National AI Centre of Excellence aligns with the Federal Government’s broader digital transformation agenda and ongoing efforts to position Nigeria as a leading AI and innovation hub on the continent. The establishment of the centre follows the launch of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy and related initiatives aimed at scaling AI research, governance and adoption nationwide.
FG Establishes First National AI Centre of Excellence at University of Jos
Joy U. Levi is an accounting graduate with experience in multimedia and catering. She is now transitioning into AI and technology writing, combining analytical thinking with creative storytelling to explore emerging tech trends.