Nigeria signalled a bold shift in its digital ambition as Vice President Kashim Shettima unveiled a new artificial intelligence innovation hub at the University of Lagos, positioning the country to take a leading role in Africa’s fast-growing tech landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the AI University Innovation Pod (UniPod), he said Nigeria was moving away from reliance on imported technologies towards building homegrown solutions tailored to its realities.
At the heart of the message was a clear call for Nigeria to take ownership of its technological future. Shettima stressed that the country must evolve from being a passive participant in the global digital economy into an active creator of innovation.
He noted that for artificial intelligence to deliver real value in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and finance, it must be developed with local context in mind.
“Our goal is to position Nigeria not just as a consumer, but as a producer of knowledge and scalable innovation,” he said. “We must build systems that reflect our environment and solve our own challenges.”
The UniPod initiative reflects a broader rethink of Nigeria’s higher education system.
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Rather than serving solely as centres for teaching, universities are now being repositioned as hubs for enterprise, product development and problem-solving.
Designed as a collaborative workspace, the UniPod will bring together students, researchers and industry players to co-create solutions aligned with national priorities.
The Vice President emphasised that the project is part of a wider, long-term strategy—not a standalone intervention—with plans to replicate similar hubs across the country.
The project is the result of a multi-stakeholder collaboration involving the United Nations Development Programme, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the University of Lagos and the Lagos State Government.
Speaking at the event, UNDP Resident Representative Elsie G. Attafuah described the initiative as a timely investment in Nigeria’s youthful population.
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She said it would empower young people to actively shape the future, rather than remain on the sidelines of global technological change.
Shettima closed by reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring measurable outcomes from the initiative.
He said the plan is to establish multiple innovation hubs nationwide, creating a sustainable ecosystem where Nigerian talent can thrive and compete globally.
