Call for proposals for Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme 2023!
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing a lot of industries quickly and has a lot of promise to boost societal progress, economic expansion, and job creation. Nigeria, with its 200 million+ population and young median age of 18.4 years (World Bank, 2022), is well-positioned to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to boost economic growth. Nigeria boasts an active startup ecosystem with six unicorns as of 2022 (CB Insights, 2022). Nigeria’s solid technological foundations and thoughtful investments in AI research will spur productivity growth and the creation of new jobs in the future.
However, strong research and wise investments in AI will be necessary if Nigeria aims to lead Africa in AI applications, job development, and policy leadership. Research will support the creation of flexible AI models for important industries (such as finance, healthcare, education, and agriculture), optimise innovations by tying academic discoveries to business ventures and industry, and provide insights into the effects of AI through field tests and pilot studies on operational systems. Finally, research will support the development of evidence-based policies regarding the ethical application of AI, data governance, privacy, safety, automation, and In order to forward this objective, The Ministry is interested in artificial intelligence (AI) research and developments that boost economic growth, create jobs, enhance government services, and benefit Nigerian society as a whole.
Here are a few instances of research themes:
- Boosting agricultural productivity such as in precision farming, predictive analytics, and robotics to aid smallholder farmers.
- Improving healthcare access and quality in areas of diagnosis tools, personalised treatments, and intelligent hospital systems, amongst others.
- Enhancing education and workforce readiness through adaptive learning platforms, personalised recommendations, and smart career guidance.
- Driving financial inclusion and credit access by the use of automated credit underwriting, AI chatbots for customer assistance, and fraud detection.
- Facilitating transparent and efficient governance using AI for tasks such as in automated document processing, surveillance data analytics, and public resource optimization.
- Optimising energy management and unlocking savings in areas of smart grids, predictive maintenance, and algorithmic efficiency optimizations.
- Supporting sustainable urban development and mobility using intelligent transportation systems, optimised city resources, data-driven urban planning, amongst others.
Grant applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts in AI. The selection criteria will include:
- The quality and originality of the research proposal.
- The applicant’s track record of excellence in research or entrepreneurship.
- The alignment of the research with the Federal Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s AI priority areas in AI.
- The feasibility of the project budget.
Location:
OnlineBenefits
- Up to N5,000,000 funding each for 45 AI researchers and start-ups.
Grant Conditions:
- The grant must be used for the proposed project only and in compliance with the approved budget. All grant recipients will be required to sign an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, outlining the terms and conditions of the grant.
- Grant recipients must provide periodic progress updates and reports to the Ministry, as well as participate in knowledge-sharing activities that will be organised by the Ministry.
- The grant recipients must acknowledge the support provided by the Ministry in all publications and public presentations related to the project.
- The Ministry reserves the right to withdraw the grant if the project fails to meet the agreed-upon milestones and objectives.
Eligibilities
- Consortium that includes a start-up or technology company, Nigerian academic researcher or a foreign researcher
- Must have a research proposal that aligns with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s AI priority areas
- The applicant must have a detailed proposal outlining the project and its potential impact on the Nigerian economy
- Must have a demonstrable track record of excellence in research or entrepreneurship
- Must be able to publish at least one peer-reviewed article within one year of receiving the grant
Application Process
- Applications must be submitted through the designated online portal hosted by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
- Visit the Apply link by clicking on the “APPLY NOW” button.
- Fill and submit the research grant form.
- Upload a CV or resume that highlights your team’s experience and qualifications.
- Upload 2 letters of recommendation from experts in your field.
Application Deadline: November 15, 2023
Application ClosedOfficial link
