Hajiya Rakiya Shuaibu, an IT Management Consultant and former Director of ICT at the Central Bank of Nigeria, has urged the Nigerian government to harness and consolidate data for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, emphasizing that without data, there is nothing to train AI models on.
Shuaibu made this call on Saturday during the July edition of the Nairametrics webinar themed, “How to Make Money Using AI: Value Creation for Businesses, Entrepreneurs, and Government.”
She noted that data exists but is fragmented across organizations like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). This separation hinders effective integration and utilization.
The former Director of ICT at the Central Bank of Nigeria stated that there is currently no government initiative to address these data issues, which is necessary for leveraging artificial intelligence effectively. She highlighted the need for proper data collection, extraction, transformation, and cleaning to ensure that the data is reliable and usable for building AI models.
“Data exists, but it is in silos—CBN, NBS, NCC, NIMC. Some of it is still on paper, although there are efforts to digitize it. The government needs to harness and consolidate this data.
“I am not sure the government, as an entity, is looking at harnessing and consolidating this siloed data, but I think it is something we have to do as a nation. Otherwise, we are not likely to reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence. Without data, what are you training your model on?” She stated.
Hajiya Shuaibu noted that if the government harnesses and consolidates data, it will create a credible source that enables the development of models for AI to leverage, driving AI adoption and innovation in Nigeria to optimal levels.
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In addition to urging the government to harness and consolidate existing data to drive AI adoption and innovation in Nigeria, Hajiya Shuaibu emphasized the need for comprehensive AI policies and regulations with clear guidelines and frameworks for AI development and use.
She suggested that Nigeria can draw inspiration from successful AI strategies in countries like Canada and Singapore by investing in AI education, training, and infrastructure.
Shuaibu also highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships to drive AI innovation in the country, emphasizing the need for funding and incentives such as grants and tax breaks.
While acknowledging the tasks ahead, she noted that Nigeria has already taken significant steps towards AI innovation, including the release of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy in 2020, the Nigerian National Artificial Intelligence Policy, and initiatives like the AI for Nigeria Initiative.
She highlighted recent efforts, such as the national AI strategy workshop and the establishment of a centre for artificial intelligence and robotics by NITDA, as clear demonstrations of this commitment. Furthermore, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission plays a crucial role in ensuring data security and maintaining clean, comprehensive data, which is essential for harnessing AI’s full potential.