Nigeria Africa’s largest economy is rapidly transitioning into a knowledge-based economy with the prospects of adoption of artificial intelligence, which is an enabler of growth, innovation, and increased productivity. This was the focus of discussion at the 4th edition of Nigeria Information Technology Reporter’s Association (NITRA) ICT Growth Conference themed “Impact of AI on National Development: Prospects, Policies and Challenges in Nigeria” held in Lagos.
At the conference, key ICT media voices from broadcast, print and online platforms including; Hilary Damissah, Editor and Chief Operating Officer at DigiVation Network TV, Justus Adejumo, ICT Editor at Daily Independent Newspapers, Peter Oluka, Founder and Editor at TechEconomy lent their thoughts to the subject matter of AI along side other stakeholders in the sector including the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) and strategic partners as they leant their voices to the conversation.
Setting the tone for the conversation, Hilary Damissah, a one-time member of the Senate Committee Media Advisory Group on ICT and Cyber Security, brought his versatility to the discourse while moderating the panel session. The DigiVation Editor stirred concerns about the natural anxiety people have, inclusive of Nigerians on the advent of any new disruptive technology like AI and sort to know the preparedness of the nation in terms of policy, security, and probable socio-economic effects of navigating the dangers of AI in a developing economy: the role of public and private stakeholders.
Hilary drawing from his vast public sector engagement, including as Production Team Lead to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Telecom Weekly TV/Radio programme and the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA Impact respective television programmes on national stations raised crucial questions of the possibility of AI living up to it’s hype and it’s possibilities of eroding several human factors including the threat to jobs as part of the worry of Nigerians.
In response to that, Mr Oluwakayode Olatunji, the Chief Information Security Officer, Digital Encode, opined that while AI is evolving, Nigerians have to adopt its usage into daily activities and that AI will not take away human factor from the job market. “It is not that primarily, AI will take your job. However, it’s just like a moving train. If you have your ticket with you and you don’t want to get on the train, it will leave you at that particular place, and you will become obsolete over time. AI is not there to actually take out the job. However, we also need to prepare ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically to ensure that we plug
into the opportunities that it offers. It’s a wave, and that wave is continual.” he pointed out.
Given the strategic role of the media in terms of creating awareness, educating the people and guiding against several misconceptions associated with some of the emerging technologies like AI, Hilary Damissah sort to know the preparedness of the media to live up to the expectations and how the media intend to ensure important information dissemination and requisite knowledge based policy implementation.
