The candid phrases of the Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Financial system, Mr. Tubosun Tijani, that expertise have to be leveraged in a number of sectors like training, artistic business, monetary providers, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and safety is a welcome growth.
The minister’s name for a nationwide Synthetic Intelligence (AI) technique will little question assist to spice up Nigeria’s digital readiness rating. AI has the potential to revolutionise many sectors together with astronomy. In current occasions, astronomers are more and more counting on AI to analyse massive datasets, establish patterns and make predictions.
South Africa and Australia are hosts of the world’s largest radio telescope, the Sq. Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO), which is at the moment below development. 9 African international locations and a few G20 members are companions within the challenge. Sadly, Nigeria has been controversially overlooked, regardless of being a pioneer member. South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria are the highest three African international locations within the area of astronomy.
Throughout section one of many challenge, about 600petabits of information shall be archived, thereby overtaking web giants like Fb and Google. Information collected in a day may take two million years to playback on an iPod. This is without doubt one of the main the explanation why most G20 international locations are indicating curiosity in being a part of the first-rate challenge.
France and Switzerland introduced their memberships in 2022. Spain grew to become a full member in 2023 whereas Germany, Canada and others are additionally planning to take up full membership standing very quickly.
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On completion, the telescope can even affect analysis and innovation, digital applied sciences and future communication programs. A thriving analysis can probably unlock progress throughout all sectors of the financial system. Research have proven that for each greenback invested in R&D, there’s a technology of almost two {dollars} in return.
Nigeria ranks very low amongst international locations on this planet by way of R&D spending. If the Nationwide Analysis and Innovation Council (NRIC) invoice is signed into legislation, the switch of expertise is not going to solely enhance the rankings of Nigerian Universities however industrialise the nation.
R&D spending and improvements are identified to additionally affect the artistic sector massively. Renaming the Ministry of Schooling as Ministry of Schooling and Analysis can even increase college rankings and Industrial progress. Quite a lot of growing and developed international locations have equally renamed their respective ministries.
Kenya is without doubt one of the highest rankings in R&D spending in Africa. Within the fourth quarter of 2021, the nation’s financial system confirmed resilience, as output surprisingly rose above the pre-pandemic stage.
Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Kenya was significantly a lifesaver through the COVID-19 period. Whereas Nigeria was searching for ventilator donations, the carmaker as a substitute, manufactured 20 ventilators per day.
The truth that extra G20 members nonetheless have the chance to hitch the SKAO telescope board clearly signifies Nigeria nonetheless has a preventing probability to reclaim its membership. Mr. President, identified for his elegant negotiation expertise ought to be capable of get deal for Nigeria.
The goal of overtaking India as the most important exporter of tech abilities could be an uphill job if training and analysis should not have a powerful hyperlink with the Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Financial system.
Sam Omosanmi Lepe wrote by way of [email protected]
