Govt Moves To Strengthen Innovation Capacity Through AI

The federal government has taken significant steps to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation capacity through the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ecosystem to accelerate the country’s development in the global digital transformation era.

This was the focus of a two-day conference on The Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Community (G-STIC) and Masterclass on Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem, Systems Thinking and System Dynamics that commenced at The National Assembly Library, Abuja, on Tuesday.

This year’s conference, with the theme “Powering the Next Generation of Innovation,” was organised by the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) and the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), under the supervision of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST).
In her remarks, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Esuabana Nko-Asanye, noted that the conference presents a unique opportunity to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem, build the nation’s artificial intelligence capacity, and integrate systems thinking into policymaking and development planning processes.

He said, “Through this G-STIC platform, we are part of a global community working to fast-track the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by applying advanced technologies, strategic foresight, and innovation-based solutions.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming every sector-agriculture, health, education, energy, and governance. It can potentially optimise production, predict climate risks, enhance policy efficiency, and create new forms of value in the digital economy.”

She noted, however, that beyond the technology itself, what makes AI truly transformative is the mindset and systems thinking that guide its application. She added that Systems Thinking fosters the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental systems and enables the nation to design policies and programs that are technically sound, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable.

She assured that the government is implementing bold initiatives to strengthen Nigeria’s national innovation system through evidence-based policies and inter-agency collaboration.

She added that the government is supporting the development of a robust AI ecosystem in Nigeria through the ongoing National Artificial Intelligence Strategy framework, while promoting technology incubation and commercialization through the NBTI network.

She stressed that the government is driving climate action and green innovation through institutions like NACETEM, which align national STI priorities with the Paris Agreement and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

In his remarks, the director-general of NACETEM, Dr Olushola Odusanya, said Nigeria can harness the opportunity to address complex national and regional challenges in energy, food systems, healthcare, education, governance, and climate change.

He said, “Artificial Intelligence is no longer an abstract concept; it is transforming industries, creating new business models, and redefining how nations compete and collaborate. Meanwhile, Systems Thinking and Systems Dynamics enable governments and institutions to understand complex interactions, design more coherent policies, and anticipate systemic risks.”