The Federal Government has announced plans to establish Nigeria’s first National Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence at the University of Jos, Plateau State. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, during the university’s 50th convocation ceremony. The initiative is intended to strengthen local research capacity and position Nigeria as an active contributor to global artificial intelligence development.
According to the minister, the centre will serve as a national hub for advanced research, skills development, innovation, and policy engagement in artificial intelligence. He stated that the facility will be supported by the communications ministry and will play a strategic role in shaping how AI is developed and applied within Nigeria’s economy.
Mr Tijani emphasized the need for inclusive research grounded in local data, languages, and social contexts. He noted that leading AI nations built capacity through sustained academic investment and stressed that Nigerian universities must help the country play a meaningful role in global AI governance.
