By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Nigeria’s Minister of
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has met with the
new Chief Executive Officer of Luminate, Melanie Hui, on the sidelines of the
National AI Trust Workshop in London, in discussions centered on strengthening
collaboration in artificial intelligence development and governance.
The meeting highlighted
ongoing cooperation between Nigeria and Luminate in advancing the country’s
artificial intelligence ecosystem, including support for national policy
development and institutional frameworks.
According to Tijani,
Luminate has played a longstanding role in Nigeria’s technology and innovation
landscape, extending back to its support during his earlier work with
Co-Creation Hub and continuing into his current ministerial responsibilities.
He noted that the
partnership has consistently been anchored on a shared commitment to leveraging
innovation, technology, and local talent to drive sustainable development and
inclusive economic growth.
Luminate has contributed to
several key initiatives within Nigeria’s artificial intelligence ecosystem,
including support for the development of the National AI Strategy, funding for
the AI Collective, and ongoing engagement in efforts to establish the National
AI Trust.
These initiatives are aimed
at strengthening governance frameworks for artificial intelligence while
ensuring that emerging technologies are developed and deployed in a
responsible, inclusive, and locally relevant manner.
The discussions in London
formed part of broader efforts by Nigeria to position itself as a leading voice
in Africa’s artificial intelligence policy landscape, with emphasis on building
institutional capacity and fostering partnerships with global stakeholders.
Officials indicated that
continued collaboration between government and international partners will
remain central to Nigeria’s strategy for developing a robust and sustainable AI
ecosystem.