Three months after the successful launch of Nigeria’s inaugural Large Language Multilingual (LLM) AI model, the Nigerian AI startup Awarri has revealed plans to collaborate with 500 fellows from the ambitious 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, engaging them as data collectors for the project.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, made this announcement on X, where he commended Awarri’s impressive expansion to a team of 120 staff members, in addition to the integration of the new fellows. This AI endeavor represents a joint effort between Awarri, DataDot, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).
The LLM, which was officially unveiled in April 2024 by the Communications Minister, is designed with the ambitious goal of leveraging AI and technology to safeguard and promote Nigeria’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. The model will utilize both text and audio datasets to empower local content creators and developers.
In an effort to enhance the representation of languages in AI datasets, the model will be trained on five languages that are currently underrepresented in the digital space, as well as English with various local accents. Furthermore, the project has set its sights on involving more than 7,000 fellows from the 3MTT Nigeria programme in the future.
The 3MTT programme, orchestrated by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, is strategically designed to cultivate a robust pipeline of technical talent within the country. This initiative is in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious vision to generate 2 million digital jobs by the year 2025 and to provide training for 30,000 individuals in twelve critical technical domains, which include software development and cybersecurity.
Awarri, an AI enterprise based in Lagos and co-founded by Silas Adekunle and Eniola Edun, is dedicated to addressing the pressing issues of youth unemployment and the technical skills deficit in Nigeria. Boasting a formidable team of over 100 AI specialists trained locally, Awarri is committed to training and employing 5,000 young Nigerians by 2026, thereby contributing significantly to the nation’s technological advancement and economic growth.
This latest initiative is a key component of the Nigerian Federal Government’s strategic drive toward a comprehensive digital transformation, with a particular emphasis on the integration and advancement of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and blockchain technologies.
In a move to bolster research and development in these cutting-edge fields, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) announced in July 2024 its plans to establish dedicated research centers strategically located across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These centers are poised to become hubs for innovation, concentrating on the study and application of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, and blockchain.
In line with its commitment to position Nigeria at the forefront of the global technology landscape, the Federal Government has launched an ambitious new training programme. This programme is designed to equip 1,000 Nigerian citizens annually with expertise in AI, blockchain, and a spectrum of other pivotal technologies. Through this initiative, the government aims to leapfrog other nations in the realm of technology, fostering a generation of skilled professionals who can drive the country’s digital economy forward.
