Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has partnered with Meta to launch the Llama Impact Accelerator, a programme aimed at advancing responsible AI innovation across the country.
Announced on Tuesday, the initiative reflects Nigeria’s growing ambition to cultivate a robust artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Minister of Communications, Dr. Bosun Tijani, described the accelerator as a milestone in the government’s strategy to harness AI for solving national development challenges.
“This initiative forms part of Meta’s broader effort to democratise responsible AI and foster local innovation across Nigeria’s growing technology landscape,” Tijani noted in a statement delivered through Ms. Sade Dada, Meta’s Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa.
The programme will provide early-stage startups with the tools, mentorship, and technical expertise needed to develop impactful AI-driven solutions using Meta’s open-source Llama models.
Designed to run for eight months, the Llama Impact Accelerator includes an initial six-week incubation phase followed by six months of extended support.
Participants will receive mentorship from industry leaders, access to technical resources, and growth opportunities tailored to Nigeria’s development needs.
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Startups focusing on four sectors—agriculture, healthcare, security and safety, and a ‘wild card’ category for innovative ideas in other areas—are encouraged to apply.
The wild card category, according to Dada, is aimed at encouraging bold, unconventional AI applications that could address overlooked challenges in underserved communities.
The initiative is a collaboration between Meta and key national institutions, including the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
Dr. Tijani emphasized that partnerships across government, academia, and civil society will be crucial in shaping an inclusive, future-focused AI community in Nigeria.
Meta highlighted the country’s growing pool of tech talent and strong innovation ecosystem as reasons for choosing Nigeria as a priority hub for this initiative.
“The accelerator offers local talent the infrastructure, tools and mentorship needed to build responsible solutions using open-source models like Meta’s Llama,” Dada said.
By leveraging global expertise and local creativity, the Llama Impact Accelerator is expected to deliver scalable solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges, reinforcing the role of AI in national transformation.
NAN
