{"id":88254,"date":"2025-10-17T17:07:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag"},"modified":"2025-10-19T07:48:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T07:48:14","slug":"openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag","title":{"rendered":"Openai Launches Africa’S First AI Academy at UNILAG"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong><\/span>OpenAI has officially chosen the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the location for its first-ever Artificial Intelligence Academy in Africa, a milestone that strengthens the university\u2019s reputation as a leading hub for innovation, research, and global collaboration on the continent.<\/b><\/p>\n

The announcement took place during the opening ceremony of UNILAG\u2019s 2025 International Week, held in Akoka, Lagos.<\/p>\n

Themed \u201cEquitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa,\u201d this year\u2019s International Week brought together academics, innovators, government officials, and industry leaders from across the globe to explore how international collaboration can drive inclusive technological development in Africa.<\/p>\n

Professor Afolabi Lesi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), described the International Week as an avenue for building global partnerships that deliver shared impact. He emphasized that beyond intellectual discussions, UNILAG\u2019s ultimate goal is to transform dialogue into tangible outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here to move from intent to results that can be seen and felt by our faculty, our students, our communities, and our nations. At UNILAG, internationalisation, research, industry engagement, and artificial intelligence meet in a way that is purposeful, ethical, and equitable,\u201d Lesi said.<\/p>\n

He further explained that UNILAG\u2019s partnership approach is built on co-design and shared standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cPartners choose UNILAG because capability here is matched by contextual knowledge tested in real environments. Our engineers work with linguists, our clinicians with social scientists \u2014 so that technology answers to people and places, not the other way round,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Vice-Chancellor Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola described the event as a pivotal gathering of visionaries and urged African institutions to shift from being passive consumers to active creators in the global AI movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cArtificial Intelligence is not the future; it is the present. For Africa, AI represents an opportunity to leapfrog limitations and reimagine education, healthcare, governance, and industry. But for AI to truly serve Africa, the foundation must be equitable partnerships, rooted not in charity, but in shared growth, mutual respect, and co-creation,\u201d Ogunsola stated.<\/p>\n

She highlighted UNILAG\u2019s ongoing research initiatives \u2014 including its Health Innovation Challenge, nuclear engineering partnerships, and medicinal plant research \u2014 as evidence that the university is creating solutions tailored to African realities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe future of AI is not in Silicon Valley alone; it is in Lagos, Nairobi, Kigali, Accra, Cairo, and Johannesburg, in the minds of young Africans who dare to dream, build, and lead,\u201d she said to applause.<\/p>\n

The highlight of the ceremony came when Mr. Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI\u2019s Africa Lead, announced the establishment of the OpenAI Academy at UNILAG, marking the first of its kind on the continent.<\/p>\n

Lubanzadio noted that the decision was driven by UNILAG\u2019s rising prominence in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, along with its dedication to equitable research collaborations.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruly, AI can be a great equaliser, and that is why OpenAI is adamant about providing access to all. We are excited to partner with an institution that believes in using technology to answer real human needs. The OpenAI Academy will nurture African talent and ensure that innovation isn\u2019t concentrated in a few hands, but democratised across communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from students, academics, and innovators, marking a significant step toward positioning Nigeria as a leader in AI education and research in Africa.<\/p>\n

In a goodwill message, Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria\u2019s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, commended UNILAG for taking the lead in shaping the nation\u2019s AI landscape. Represented by Dr. Olubunmi Ajala, Director of the National Centre for AI & Robotics, Tijani described artificial intelligence as a transformative tool that could help Africa bridge existing inequalities.<\/p>\n

He also revealed that the Tinubu Administration has initiated a national fibre optic project aimed at connecting all 774 local government areas with high-speed internet, ensuring that innovation and digital opportunities reach every Nigerian.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccess to the capacity to innovate and create value must be democratised among all Nigerians,\u201d Tijani affirmed.<\/p>\n

Adding the private sector\u2019s perspective, Ms. Yvonne Ike, Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Bank of America, praised UNILAG for producing world-class graduates who excel globally.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what the water you drink here is made of, but your products are doing you proud. When they come up against students from Cambridge or Harvard, they shine \u2014 no complex, no hesitation,\u201d Ike remarked.<\/p>\n

She underscored that Africa\u2019s greatest strength in the AI era lies in its people.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur future doesn\u2019t depend on the technology itself. It depends on who builds, deploys, and benefits from it,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Gambia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. OpenAI has officially chosen the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the location for its first-ever Artificial Intelligence Academy in Africa, a milestone that strengthens the university\u2019s reputation as a leading hub for innovation, research, and global collaboration on the continent. The announcement took place during the opening ceremony of UNILAG\u2019s 2025 International […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,9],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-88254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-miscellaneous","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nOpenai Launches Africa'S First AI Academy at UNILAG - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"OpenAI has officially chosen the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the location for its first-ever Artificial Intellige ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Openai Launches Africa'S First AI Academy at UNILAG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"OpenAI has officially chosen the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the location for its first-ever Artificial Intellige ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-17T17:07:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-19T07:48:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1760711515.281094.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Openai Launches Africa’S First AI Academy at UNILAG\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-17T17:07:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-19T07:48:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\"},\"wordCount\":771,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1760711515.281094.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"miscellaneous\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/openai-launches-africas-first-ai-academy-at-unilag\",\"name\":\"Openai Launches Africa'S First AI Academy at UNILAG - 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