By Juliet Umeh
The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) is set to host its fourth annual multi-stakeholder conference, the NITRA ICT GROWTH CONFERENCE 4.0, with a strong focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and national development.
The event, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at Citiheight Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, is themed “Impact of AI On National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria.”
The conference has attracted significant backing from key industry players, including Digital Encode, a leader in cybersecurity and Governance Risk Compliance (GRC), and NeuRaL AI, a pioneering artificial intelligence firm. Additionally, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the authority responsible for managing the .ng domain system, is also on board as a partner for this year’s event.
NITRA Chairman, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, emphasized that the participation of Digital Encode and NeuRaL AI aligns perfectly with the conference’s objective to address the security implications of AI integration into national frameworks. He noted that their expertise will be instrumental in guiding the discussions on the necessary security precautions as Nigeria explores AI’s potential across both government and private sectors.
This year’s conference is designed to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders from the ICT industry to deliberate on strategies for accelerating AI growth in Nigeria. The discussions will focus on achieving key national development targets as outlined in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Under the banner of “NITRA ICT Growth Conference,” the event will feature a series of multi-panel interactive sessions. These will cover critical themes such as “Driving Sub-Sectoral Digital Growth With Artificial Intelligence” and “Navigating the Dangers of AI In A Developing Economy: Role of Public, Private Stakeholders.”
According to NITRA’s General Secretary, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, the event will also include contributions from various industry associations, including ALTON, ATCON, and NiRA. He further highlighted that with the support of Digital Encode and NeuRaL AI, participants can expect insightful discussions on AI security needs and their broader implications for web security.
Digital Encode, founded in 2003, is renowned for its expertise in the design, management, and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environments, and other IT infrastructures. Meanwhile, NeuRaL AI, under the leadership of Oluseyi Akindeinde, is making significant strides in helping Nigerian businesses and organizations develop and deploy Large Language Models (LLMs), ensuring they are well-positioned in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
As the NITRA ICT Growth Conference 4.0 approaches, the anticipation builds for a robust exchange of ideas and strategies that will shape the future of AI in Nigeria.
