Nigeria’s push to deepen international cooperation in innovation and emerging technologies received a boost on Monday as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, hosted former Delaware Governor, Dr. Bethany Hall-Long, in Abuja to discuss potential areas of collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI), youth development and economic growth.
The meeting brought together government officials and stakeholders from both sides to explore opportunities in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), with a strong focus on equipping young Nigerians with the skills needed to participate in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
During the engagement, Dr. Udeh said the Federal Government remains committed to building strategic international partnerships that can accelerate scientific research, technological advancement and digital transformation across the country. He noted that global cooperation is becoming increasingly important as countries seek new ways to develop talent, strengthen innovation ecosystems and create sustainable economic opportunities.
According to the Minister, Nigeria’s growing population of young people represents one of its greatest assets, making investments in skills development, entrepreneurship and innovation critical to the country’s long-term development agenda.
“Global cooperation remains essential to building the capacity of Nigerian youths and equipping them with the skills required to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world,” he said.
Dr. Udeh also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to position Nigeria as a leading innovation and technology hub in Africa through investments in research and development, capacity building and entrepreneurship support programmes.
As part of those efforts, he showcased the Ministry’s Energize Commercialization Now (ECoN) initiative, a programme designed to bridge the gap between research and the market by transforming innovations, inventions and research outputs into commercially viable products and businesses.
The initiative is expected to support job creation, encourage innovation-driven enterprises and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial and economic competitiveness.
A major aspect of the discussion centred on the role of Artificial Intelligence in addressing challenges across key sectors. The Minister said AI presents significant opportunities for improving service delivery in areas such as healthcare and education, while also creating new pathways for innovation, productivity and economic inclusion.
He reiterated the Ministry’s readiness to work with international partners on programmes that empower young people and enable them to become active contributors to innovation-led growth.
Earlier, Senator Uche Ekwunife, who led the delegation, said the visit was aimed at identifying strategic partnership opportunities that could support human capital development through Science, Technology and Innovation.
She stressed the need for stronger collaboration in knowledge sharing, technology transfer and skills development, noting that such partnerships can help expand opportunities for Nigerian youths while strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem.
“Our focus is to explore strategic areas of partnership with the Ministry in STI for human capital development,” she said.
In her remarks, Dr. Hall-Long praised Nigeria’s expanding technology sector and acknowledged the growing role innovation plays in economic development around the world. She expressed interest in supporting initiatives that encourage the application of Artificial Intelligence in the health and education sectors, areas increasingly seen as critical to the future of workforce development and public service delivery.
The former Delaware Governor also discussed opportunities for collaboration in digital innovation, entrepreneurship development, research exchange programmes and investment promotion.
The engagement reflects Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen international partnerships that can support technology adoption, innovation capacity and youth-focused development. As governments and institutions around the world increase investments in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, collaborations such as this are expected to play an important role in expanding access to knowledge, skills and opportunities for the next generation of innovators.
For Nigeria, the discussions represent another step towards leveraging global expertise and partnerships to accelerate innovation, build human capital and unlock new economic opportunities through technology.
