The Senate has opened debate on a bill seeking to establish the Artificial Intelligence (AI), Innovation and Communication Technology Solutions Centre in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti State, as part of efforts to position Nigeria for global competitiveness in digital technology and emerging knowledge-based industries.
The move was deliberated at Tuesday’s plenary, which was chaired by Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), seeks to create a national institution for research, capacity-building, and collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, robotics, data science and other frontier technologies.
The proposed legislation was first read on 27 May.
Leading debate on the general principles of the bill, Adaramodu told lawmakers that artificial intelligence and technological innovation now shape governance, commerce, education, health care and national security across the world.
Adaramodu warned that failure to strategically invest in these areas could leave Nigeria at a disadvantage.
‘Nations that fail to invest strategically in these technologies risk being left behind in the 21st-century knowledge economy’, he cautioned.
According to him, the centre is expected to serve as a research and training hub linking government, industry and academic institutions, with a focus on equipping young Nigerians with competitive digital and AI-based skills.
He added that Omuo-Ekiti was selected because Ekiti State already has a reputation as a ‘hub of education, knowledge, and intellectual capital’, in Nigeria.
According to him, the establishment of the centre would stimulate innovation and economic development in the South-West and across the country.
The Senator said, ‘When fully established, the centre is expected to: serve as a national platform for developing homegrown digital solutions to challenges in agriculture, health, education, and public service delivery.
‘It will also empower Nigerian youths to compete globally in the AI and technology ecosystem and reduce dependence on imported technologies by fostering indigenous innovation’.
Adaramodu also stressed that the bill is not intended to create unnecessary bureaucracy but to establish a centre of excellence capable of driving technological advancement nationwide.
‘Artificial Intelligence is the new frontier of human progress. Every developed nation is investing in AI infrastructure and innovation centres. Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind’, he said.
He called on lawmakers to support the measure, describing it as a ‘strategic step’ toward securing Nigeria’s place in the global technological landscape.
Nigeria’s push to adopt artificial intelligence has been hampered by persistent challenges including poor funding for research, limited broadband access in rural areas, and concerns over duplication of existing agencies.
The agencies include the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure.
Lawmakers in previous debates have also raised questions about sustainability, staffing capacity, and the ability of new federal institutions to avoid becoming abandoned or underutilised projects.
Advocates argue that without dedicated centres focused specifically on AI competencies, Nigeria will remain a consumer of foreign technologies rather than a producer of homegrown solutions capable of generating jobs and stimulating new industries.
