The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), a subsidiary of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Defence Space Administration (DSA) have entered into a partnership to enhance national security in Nigeria.
The partnership was struck when the NCAIR national director, Engr. Garba Ya’u received the Chief of Space Administration, Mougilim Anthony and his management team when they paid a working visit to the centre in Abuja.
Briefing the visitors about the centre, Ya’u said the centre was borne of the initiative of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, who observed that artificial intelligence, robotics and other emerging technologies are the new global direction.
The national director further stated that the centre focuses on three areas, namely; Research and development for emerging technologies, capacity-building and collaboration and partnerships for national interest, thereby coming up with ideas that will impact the country positively, bringing about growth and development.
“The centre is presently into research in artificial intelligence and deep enforcement learning, cumulated imperial networks, deep and machine learning, autonomous vehicles, drones and collaborative robotics that can operate autonomously to achieve certain goals and objectives,” he added.
He further revealed that the centre has some projects known as ‘impact projects’, aimed at actualising research through prototypes. “When desired results are attained, commercialisation will be put into consideration towards the growth and development of the economy.”
Ya’u added that the Office of Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) is another subsidiary of NITDA that helps in making an impact with the ideas through start-ups intent on the commercialisation [of these ideas] to pave way for the creation of direct and indirect jobs and revenue flow to the country.
“NCAIR is working on a related health product, a platform for both hard and soft wares to allow the proliferation of telemedicine across remote and rural areas, due to limited numbers of doctors and other healthcare workers for easy access through online medium to boost the country’s healthcare [delivery] sector,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mougilim appreciated the centre for the various activities towards the swift growth of information technology across the country, he stated that more of such centres are needed all over the country.
“We are faced with diverse problems across the country and one of the preferred solutions is the cutting edge technology which will curtail such problems being faced by the country, for growth and development,” he revealed
He assured that the Defence Space Administration would collaborate with NCAIR in the research and development of space technologies and cybersecurity for improved national security.
“Our mandate is to launch cube satellites into space for swift communications and tracking to improve national security.
“We are building the capacity of our personnel through innovative ventures for tracking our troops at the theatre, simply because our troops are the greatest valued assets we have to improve National security,” he added.
