Manny Ita –
Vice President Kashim Shettima is in Akoka to commission Nigeria’s first Artificial Intelligence UniPod at University of Lagos, marking a significant step in the country’s push to embrace emerging technologies.
The AI UniPod initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme, is designed as a technology innovation hub where students, researchers, and startups can develop AI-driven solutions tailored to local and regional challenges.
Speaking at the commissioning, Shettima described the project as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, noting that artificial intelligence will play a central role in shaping the future of education, governance, and economic development.
The UniPod is expected to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure, training programmes, and collaborative spaces to nurture talent in fields such as machine learning, data science, robotics, and automation.
Officials say the initiative aligns with broader efforts by the Federal Government to position Nigeria as a regional leader in artificial intelligence and innovation, leveraging its youthful population and growing tech ecosystem.
The UNDP noted that the facility will also serve as a platform for public-private partnerships, enabling collaboration between academia, industry players, and policymakers to accelerate the adoption of AI solutions across sectors.
Experts believe that establishing innovation hubs like the AI UniPod could help bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical application, while also creating new opportunities for job creation and entrepreneurship.
The commissioning at UNILAG underscores increasing investment in Nigeria’s knowledge economy, as stakeholders seek to harness technology to drive sustainable development and global competitiveness.
