Author: Michael O Oke

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a significant step toward shaping the future of digital governance in the region by placing the coordination and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) at the centre of its newly unveiled regional digital roadmap. The announcement came at a high-level Thematic Dialogue held this week in Lagos, where policymakers, regional officials and technology stakeholders endorsed a unified strategy to accelerate digital transformation for more than 400 million people across the West African sub-region. The digital roadmap — part of ECOWAS’s Vision 2050 long-term integration agenda — seeks to harmonise national digital policies, bridge…

The Ogun State Government has unveiled a new artificial intelligence–driven teaching and learning platform aimed at significantly improving the quality of education across public schools in the state, as part of broader efforts to modernise the education sector and align it with global digital trends. The platform, named OgunLearn, was officially launched by Governor Dapo Abiodun at a ceremony in Abeokuta. State officials describe the initiative as a landmark step in leveraging emerging technologies to address persistent challenges in teaching, learning delivery, and educational administration. It is also being positioned as one of the most ambitious state-led applications of artificial…

Nigeria has emerged as the world leader in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for learning, work and entrepreneurship, according to the latest Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People report published by Google in partnership with Ipsos. The data places the West African nation well ahead of global averages and highlights a rapid shift from experimental to purposeful AI use across society. The comprehensive Google/Ipsos survey shows that 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, significantly above the global average of 62 per cent. This marks an 18-percentage-point increase from the…

OpenAI has announced the global launch of ChatGPT Go, a new service tier designed to expand access to more reliable and premium artificial intelligence capabilities, with Nigerian users among those set to benefit from the rollout. The launch marks another step in OpenAI’s efforts to broaden the availability of advanced AI tools worldwide, particularly in emerging markets where demand for practical, productivity-driven AI solutions continues to grow. With Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy and youthful tech-savvy population, the introduction of ChatGPT Go is expected to resonate across multiple sectors, including education, business, media, and software development. What ChatGPT Go Offers…

Microsoft Copilot AI now sits inside familiar Microsoft tools. Many people in Nigeria already use it to save time and reduce manual work. It helps with writing, reviewing data, meeting notes, and quick research in apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Microsoft Copilot AI helps teams and individuals in Nigeria work faster by using AI inside Microsoft apps to draft content, analyse data, summarise meetings, and answer questions with simple prompts. It fits into daily tasks without forcing major changes to existing workflows. This guide explains what Copilot does and how it works in real settings. You’ll see where…

UNESCO keeps pushing AI in Africa forward by connecting skills, ethics, and public policy. Over the years, Director‑General Audrey Azoulay has steered global action on AI ethics, and now UNESCO’s work aligns with the continental AI strategy, shaped alongside the African Union. It’s a practical approach: help countries build capacity, guide governments, and monitor risks to rights as AI for Africa programmes grow. Across the continent, UNESCO supports AI governance that aligns with local realities while not ignoring global standards. They’re working with ministries, courts, schools, and research groups. By connecting national efforts with regional plans—like the continental strategy on artificial intelligence—UNESCO aims…

Uganda’s artificial intelligence data centre is changing how African data gets processed and stored. By placing advanced computing tools right here on the continent, it reduces the need to send sensitive data overseas. This shift gives Africa tighter control over how data is used, stored, and accessed. It’s a step toward more self-reliance, honestly. The site runs high-performance systems built for AI, machine learning, and big data tasks. Organisations can now run complex models closer to where their data actually comes from. Local hosting means faster speeds and less risk during transfers. Plus, it’s just easier to follow local data…

Google now lets you shop inside Gemini, where AI helps you find products, compare options, and buy from trusted retailers without leaving the chat. You can search, ask follow-up questions, and move from choice to checkout all in one place. Gemini turns shopping into a conversation. Just describe what you want, and the system narrows options, tracks prices, and pulls delivery details to save you time. Major retailers connect their catalogues to Gemini. You get clear prices and stock info, staying in control the whole time. The platform sets up faster checkout now, and it looks like smarter features are…

Open-source AI is shifting, and you can see it in how widely Alibaba’s Qwen models are used worldwide. Developers flock to Qwen for speed, scale, and open access—the numbers really say it all. This growth didn’t just happen by accident. Open-source AI is moving faster than ever, and Qwen is right at the centre of that momentum. Alibaba’s Qwen AI has now hit over 700 million downloads on Hugging Face. That makes it the most widely used open-source AI model family anywhere, period. AIBase data and multiple outlets confirm Qwen’s lead, outpacing rivals from major US and Chinese companies.…

Bildup AI, a rising Nigerian edtech startup, has successfully secured $400,000 in funding to scale its artificial intelligence (AI) learning platform, aiming to make AI education more accessible across Africa. The funding round, led by local and international investors, marks a significant milestone for the Lagos-based company, which has been gaining traction in the rapidly growing AI education market. Bildup AI’s platform focuses on providing practical AI skills and hands-on learning for students, developers, and tech enthusiasts, positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s tech ecosystem. “Our mission has always been to democratize AI learning and equip the next…