The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Nigeria is initiating the deployment of research centers focused on emerging technologies such as Blockchain. This announcement was made by NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuw, at the IoT West Africa Conference in Lagos.

According to Inuw, the research centers will concentrate on significant technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), additive manufacturing, and robotics, alongside blockchain technology. These centers will be established across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

In addition to setting up these research units, the government plans to support Nigerian startups in scaling product development using these technologies. Innovation sandboxes will be utilized to develop practical use cases and eventually introduce these products to the market.

To further this initiative, NITDA has launched the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program. By 2027, the government aims to equip three million Nigerians with essential skills to support current technological initiatives.

As a broader implication, Inuw expects a boost in foreign exchange remittances as individuals trained via these initiatives leave the country.

Shitij Taneja, managing director of Vertex Next, the organizers of the IoT West Africa conference, referred to Nigeria as “Africa’s next Silicon Valley.” He emphasized Nigeria’s large youth population and dynamic startup ecosystem as key factors in its potential to become a leading tech force.

Taneja mentioned, “The reason we are hosting the IoT West Africa, which is co-located with Africa data center and cloud Expo Africa, is because we see a lot of potential in the market and the growing number of youths that are working towards technological development.” He added that the conference aims to attract investors to Nigerian startups.

Nigeria’s increasing focus on emerging technologies has been evident in recent months. In May, NITDA restructured the National Blockchain Policy Steering Committee (NBPSC) to facilitate better implementation of its National Blockchain Policy. The country is also exploring potential collaboration with the United States to delve into AI and other emerging technologies, despite recent legal tensions involving a detained executive from a major crypto exchange.

According to the Blockchain Industry Coordinating Committee of Nigeria (BICCoN), these developments could result in fragmented relations with global partners.

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