NITDA, Nkenne AI Partner to Bridge Nigeria’s Language Gap with Artificial Intelligence

ANTHONY EMEKA NWOSU

Nigeria is taking another significant step toward strengthening its artificial intelligence ecosystem as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) explores a strategic partnership with Nkenne AI to develop advanced AI-driven language translation solutions aimed at bridging Nigeria’s linguistic divide and accelerating digital inclusion.

The collaboration was the focus of a high-level engagement hosted by NITDA, where both organisations discussed opportunities to deploy artificial intelligence to enhance communication, digital services, and innovation across multiple sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Representing the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the National Director of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Bunmi Ajala, highlighted the agency’s strategic vision for positioning Nigeria as a leading continental hub for artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

According to Ajala, NITDA is implementing an ambitious roadmap that places strong emphasis on building the country’s digital capacity and preparing its workforce for an AI-driven future. A key pillar of that roadmap is the government’s target of achieving 70 percent digital literacy among Nigerians by 2027, a milestone expected to unlock new economic opportunities and strengthen participation in the digital economy.

She noted that developing a robust talent pipeline and integrating artificial intelligence into public service delivery remain central to the agency’s transformation agenda.

Ajala also emphasised the importance of investing in high-performance computing infrastructure, including Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which are essential for training and deploying advanced AI systems. She further highlighted the significance of the government’s GovNet initiative, designed to provide secure digital infrastructure and connectivity that can support innovation within Nigeria’s growing startup ecosystem.

On the private sector side, the Chief Executive Officer of Nkenne AI, Michael Odokara-Okigbo, outlined the company’s commitment to developing locally relevant artificial intelligence solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s linguistic diversity.

He explained that Nkenne AI is focusing on sector-specific AI translation tools tailored for critical industries such as healthcare, financial technology, and governance. Such tools, he said, could significantly improve access to information and digital services for millions of Nigerians who interact more comfortably in indigenous languages.

Odokara-Okigbo also stressed the importance of rigorous data processing and language modelling in developing accurate AI systems capable of handling complex linguistic contexts across Nigeria’s diverse cultural landscape.

Beyond technology development, Nkenne AI is also positioning itself as a support platform for emerging innovators, providing resources and technical backing to startups seeking to build AI-driven solutions.

Industry observers say the partnership reflects a growing recognition of the role artificial intelligence can play in addressing structural barriers to digital inclusion in Nigeria, particularly in areas where language remains a major challenge to technology adoption.

By combining NITDA’s national digital policy framework with Nkenne AI’s specialised expertise in AI-powered translation technologies, both organisations aim to create sustainable innovation ecosystems and scalable business models capable of delivering long-term economic value.

The collaboration is expected to contribute not only to improving access to digital services but also to strengthening Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading centre for artificial intelligence research, development, and deployment.