By Atlantic Reports

Nigerian universities must develop technologies that address local needs and strengthen domestic digital capacity, Galaxy Backbone Managing Director Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju has said.

Speaking on Wednesday at Ahmadu Bello University’s third Biennial Postgraduate Conference in Zaria, Adeyanju urged researchers to pursue practical applications of artificial intelligence alongside research into locally produced hardware.

The conference’s theme was “Innovative Postgraduate Research for Sustainable Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”.

Adeyanju identified agriculture, healthcare, financial inclusion, education, public services and Nigerian languages as areas where responsible AI applications could offer useful solutions.

Building Domestic Technology Capacity

Adeyanju challenged universities to explore research into central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs) and other critical hardware components.

“How do we solve this problem? Can we have research on how to manufacture hardware? What kind of support do professors need to develop these technologies?” he asked.

His remarks set out a research ambition rather than an announcement of manufacturing capacity or a funded semiconductor programme.

He warned that dependence on imported technology could leave Nigeria exposed to supply disruptions, drawing a comparison with difficulties countries faced in obtaining COVID-19 vaccines.

Adeyanju also advocated investment in data infrastructure. He cited a Central Bank of Nigeria policy on domestic storage of banking data as a potential driver of investment in local data centres.

The supplied account did not identify the policy instrument or its precise scope.

Linking Researchers to National Priorities

Dr Bunmi Ajala, Senior Special Adviser on AI, Data and Research to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said Nigeria’s global AI readiness ranking improved from 103rd in 2023 to 72nd in 2025.

He attributed the change to research, consultation and evidence-based policymaking. The account did not identify the index or explain whether its methodology was consistent across those years.

Ajala said the Federal Government was developing a national AI strategy and bringing together Nigerian researchers at home and abroad.

He described an exercise that analysed 50,000 AI-related journal articles published between 2018 and 2023 to identify researchers worldwide.

According to him, the publications generated approximately 1.2 million author-level observations, analysed using a database containing nearly one billion names across 106 countries. Those observations should not be interpreted as a count of unique Nigerian researchers.

Practical Outcomes and Academic Integrity

Kaduna State Commissioner for Education Prof. Sani Sambo urged researchers to demonstrate how their work could improve agricultural productivity, inform policy and benefit society.

“Your work is not only for a certificate; it is a contribution to Nigeria and humanity,” he said.

He called for closer cooperation among universities, industry and government to translate findings into practical solutions.

Sambo said AI could accelerate research but could not replace curiosity, critical thinking or moral judgement. He warned against plagiarism and fabricated data.

Broad Participation at ABU

Postgraduate College Provost Prof. Oluyinka Okubanjo said the conference attracted 847 research papers, 747 participants and representatives from 108 universities across six countries.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adamu Ahmed, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics Prof. Raymond Bako, pledged to sustain the conference and strengthen research quality and collaboration.

He encouraged originality, critical engagement and openness to constructive feedback.

The discussions placed practical impact at the centre of postgraduate research. Delivering that ambition will require sustained funding, suitable facilities and partnerships that move promising findings from academic presentations into technologies and services people can use.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.