Buhari’s Ex-Minister Bags Foreign Appointment, Details Emerge
- The African Union, through AU-ASRIC, has appointed Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as Co-Chair for developing the 4th Industrial Revolution Policy
- The council’s other co-chair is Professor Anicia Nicola Peter from Namibia, who specializes in Human-Computer Interaction, E-Government, and AI
- Once adopted by the African Union, the 4IR policy will drive Africa’s advancement in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity, with policymakers
The African Union, through the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (AU-ASRIC), has appointed Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami as Co-Chair for the development of the 4th Industrial Revolution Policy and Strategy, which will be implemented across 54 African nations.
Pantami, a prominent advocate for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, holds the distinction of being the first African Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information Security in the UK.
Former minister of communication, Pantami bags appointment
Photo credit: @GoziconCSource: Twitter
He previously served as Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), where he spearheaded the creation of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), as reported by Economic Confidential.
During his tenure as Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, he played a crucial role in crafting Nigeria’s inaugural Digital Economy Policy, which emphasized Digital Society and Emerging Technologies.
The council’s other co-chair is Professor Anicia Nicola Peter from Namibia’s National Commission on Research, Science, and Technology.
She also serves as an adjunct research professor at the University of Namibia.
Previously, she chaired the 4IR Presidential Task Force in Namibia. Her research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, Social Media, Gamification, E-Participation, Gender Studies, E-Government, E-Health, and Human-Centered AI.
The council is comprised of other notable academics and policymakers, including Professor Khaleed Ghedira from Tunisia, Professor Maha Grima from Morocco, Professor Mongi Nouira, and Professor Munir Frija, Daily Trust reported.
Once the African Union adopts the 4IR policy, member countries are expected to implement it rigorously.
With Africa having lagged behind in previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth Industrial Revolution offers the continent a chance to advance in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Policymakers, industry leaders, and academics are anticipated to collaborate in executing this policy.
The proactive efforts of the African Union and Dr. Muhammad Kyari, PhD, Executive Director of the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council, have been widely praised by experts across Africa for fostering the continent’s industrialization in the 21st century.
Buhari’s ex-Minister, Lai Mohammed, gags foreign appointment
In another development, TheTalk.NG reported that the former minister of information, culture and tourism, Lai Mohammed, has been appointed as the special advisor to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili.
His appointment was confirmed at the opening session of the 66th UNWTO Commission for Africa (CAF) currently underway in Mauritius.
Source: TheTalk.NG
