Governor Hope Uzodimma has claimed that Imo is leading the way in artificial intelligence in Nigeria.

He said this was due to his administration’s forward-thinking policies on digitalisation that prepare for future demands.

Mr Uzodimma made the assertion on Wednesday while declaring open the 4th Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Summit in Owerri.

The governor noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was taking proactive steps to position the country as a global player in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

He said the federal government’s recently launched Labour Employment Enhancement Programme to equip Nigerians with digital skills and create 2.5 million jobs for a 21st-century economy.

He said Imo was leading the way with its establishment of the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government.

Mr Uzodimma said this had led to the Skill-Up Imo Programme, which trained over 40,000 youths in tech skills like AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.

According to him, Imo is laying the groundwork for a complete digital ecosystem, where Imo Digital City is the flagship infrastructure project.

Mr Uzodimma noted that to achieve the target of the ecosystem, his government would soon roll out extensive fibre optic infrastructure and 5-G broadband access across all the 27 LGAs. He said this would close the digital divide between urban and rural communities.

He stated that the e-government agenda of his administration was a cornerstone through which it would unveil the MyImo App, a one-stop digital interface for accessing government services.

Uzodimma added that a fully automated Land Information System would equally be launched soon to ensure transparency and efficiency in land administration.

He said establishing the Imo Business Call Centre would provide real-time support to investors and entrepreneurs.

Mr Uzodimma, therefore, called on the international bodies to partner Imo “as a state where ideas flourish, investments thrive, and technology transforms lives.”

(NAN)