Nigeria’s First AI University Set to Open in Lagos

The first university in Nigeria dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) is scheduled to open in Epe, Lagos, as part of an effort to progress the field across Africa.

By giving Nigerian youngsters advanced AI skills and establishing the country as a major player in the global AI market, the university hopes to alleviate unemployment and turn the continent into a global centre for technological innovation.

The inspiration for the name Wini Institution came from the first AI institution in the world, which was founded in Qatar and drew leading academics and innovators from China, India, the US, and Europe.

When a group of visionaries from Boston and Nigeria united with the same goal in 2016, the Nigerian journey got underway.

The idea for Wini University is finally taking shape following years of planning, obtaining National University Commission (NUC) expressions of interest, and mobilising support.

Wini Group claims that the university would transform African education and act as the foundation for the continent’s first artificial intelligence-powered Silicon Valley.

According to them, its goal is to create a thriving community of top-notch academics and students who are enthusiastic about using AI and quantum computing to advance both in Africa and beyond.

Its goal is to produce a generation of young Africans who are active participants and inventors in the global AI market rather than only observers.

Also, the proposed Wini University is envisioned as Africa’s first university entirely focused on artificial intelligence.

This project is not just about academics; it is a bold step toward transforming Lagos into the Silicon Valley of Africa, a hub where innovation and technology converge to solve real-world problems.

In 2013, President Vladimir Putin of Russia declared that the nation leading in AI would dominate as the next global superpower.

Over a decade later, this prophecy continues to unfold as AI becomes the axis on which industries and human advancement revolve.

Young Nigerians will be empowered by the proposed institution to develop groundbreaking ideas that transform economies and industries.

Students are prepared for leadership in the quickly changing global AI market by receiving cutting-edge training in fields including blockchain, cloud computing, generative AI, OpenAI, data science, and machine learning.

The Guardian