MTN Group has committed to supporting Nigeria’s initiative to create datasets for African languages, a crucial step towards developing large language models (LLMs) that can benefit the continent’s 1.5 billion inhabitants.
This commitment was announced during “The Y’ello Chair Vodcast: Your link to the African continent,” where Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasized the need for immediate collaboration among government, academia, and the private sector to finance research into Africa’s rich linguistic diversity.
Tijani specifically urged MTN Group, which operates in 16 markets, 15 of which are in Africa, to gather resources for this initiative.
”We appreciate these types of partnerships. Challenge accepted,” responded MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita.
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The vodcast, moderated by Angela Wamola from the GSMA mobile industry association, was recorded during the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Mupita emphasized the importance of Africa avoiding the status of a “digital underclass” by ensuring its citizens are included in AI development. He remarked that the adoption of technology should promote human dignity by fostering inclusion and opportunities.
”The desired outcomes are that individuals are digitally included, economically empowered, and that they maintain their dignity.
This aspect of dignity is crucial for me because poverty can lead to various forms of indignity, but the adoption of technology should eliminate all of that,” he stated.
Industry analysts suggest that MTN’s support could expedite the creation of locally developed AI solutions that cater to African needs, positioning the continent not only as a consumer of AI technologies but also as a contributor to the global ecosystem.
