The Nigerian government has partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to foster innovation and sustainable development in Nigeria.
The partnership was announced Wednesday in a statement by Dr. Felix Ehr, Director of Media and Corporate Communications at the National Space Agency.
According to a statement, the partnership was formalized at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, and USAID Chief Innovation Officer Mohamed Abdel Kader I had a meeting with Their discussions focused on leveraging technology to address Nigeria’s key development challenges.
Nnaji emphasized the importance of innovative collaborations, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and digital financial inclusion. He stressed that these partnerships are essential not only to improve the lives of underserved communities, but also to strengthen Nigeria’s growing technology sector.
The minister also highlighted the potential of technology to create impactful solutions that uplift marginalized communities and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
“One of the key topics of discussion was the role of AI in enhancing agricultural practices in Nigeria. With food security becoming a critical concern, both parties will explore technology to optimize agricultural practices. We agreed on the need for innovation.”
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“By leveraging advanced technology, we aim to support smallholder farmers and meet the country’s growing food demand while ensuring sustainable practices,” Nnaji said.
He added that the focus on agriculture is consistent with a broader strategy to increase productivity and resilience to climate change, which poses significant risks to food security.
Energy access, another major issue, was also a focus of the talks. Mr. Nnaji stressed the need to deploy off-grid and renewable energy technologies to achieve Nigeria’s energy goals. Discussions also included potential collaboration under USAID’s Power Africa Initiative, which aims to expand electricity access through cleaner and more sustainable solutions.
He emphasized the importance of integrating AI into power grid management and exploring distributed renewable energy technologies to ensure reliable power supply to local communities.
Beyond the discussion, Mr. Nnaji noted that Nigeria and USAID have agreed to formalize a partnership to identify and scale up innovative technologies.
The partnership aims to launch joint research and pilot projects in critical sectors such as healthcare and education, where AI solutions have the potential to drive transformative change.
“Our partnership with USAID will help advance the innovative solutions needed to achieve national development goals and improve the quality of life for our people,” Nagy concluded. .
