KWASU researchers win two national AI Research Grants.

Two research teams from Kwara State University, KWASU, have won the 2023 Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

In a letter of provisional offer, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, said there are 45 winning proposals which were selected by independent reviewers out of over two thousand applications received.

KWASU’s Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Systems, Dr. Abdulwaheed Musa’s proposal titled “AI system for assessing vulnerability and providing adaptation solutions to communities facing climate change impacts” won under the utilities category, while Dr. Ronke Seyi Babatunde’s team of researchers with the proposal titled “AI Powered integrated crop management in Nigeria to address farmers challenges and increase productivity” won under the agriculture category.

According to the letter listing the winning proposals, it states that “these initiatives push the boundaries of AI and contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of Nigeria, laying the groundwork for a tech-forward and resilient future”.

“The synergy of Nigerian researchers, startups, and technology companies, alongside collaborative efforts with foreign researchers, reflects a holistic approach to technological innovation.”

The research grant is to support researchers and start-ups to accelerate their research development efforts in Artificial Intelligence.