Isa Pantami, the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has voiced his discontent over the relaunch of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) by his successor, Bosun Tijani.
Tijani announced the revitalization of NCAIR, highlighting enhancements in its capacity and partnerships with global tech firm Cisco. However, Pantami took to social media to assert that NCAIR was already established during his tenure in November 2020, dubbing it "the first of its kind in Africa" and emphasizing its effectiveness in training numerous Nigerians.
Tijani responded by detailing the new initiatives accompanying the relaunch, including increased computing infrastructure, dedicated research labs, and remote connectivity for AI hubs across the country. He also unveiled outcomes from the Ministry's National AI Workshop, such as the country's first Multilingual Large Language Model and partnerships aimed at accelerating AI development projects of national significance.
The exchange between Pantami and Tijani underscores ongoing efforts to advance AI research and application in Nigeria while navigating questions of continuity and leadership transition within the Ministry.
