The upcoming Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture is set to spotlight the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in shaping a digital economy, under the theme “Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Good, The Complex, and The Anticipated”. Scheduled to take place on May 25, 2024, at the Four Points by Sheraton, this lecture will precede the Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards ceremony.
According to Ken Nwogbo, the editor-in-chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, the organizers of the event, this sixteenth edition of the awards ceremony holds special significance. It aims to honor and celebrate organizations and individuals within the ICT industry who have demonstrated excellence by delivering innovative services and solutions.
“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this especial edition”.
He further emphasized that AI is widely recognized for its potential to catalyze a fourth industrial revolution, significantly altering both the dynamics of human interaction and economic behaviors.
“The traditional factors of production and physical capital and labour may no longer promote substantial economic growth. It is generally believed that AI will be one of the most important factors determining future economic growth.
“However, unlike traditional machines, which replaced the use of human and animal labor for simple manual work and heavy or dangerous activities, AI-related inputs may change the type of human work in a comprehensive way.
“In contrast to previous industrial revolutions, AI does not simply involve the invention of a new machine or technology. Instead, AI has similarities to the accumulation of human capital, as it can learn and accumulate knowledge by itself,” he said.
The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished Lecture serves as a platform to delve into initiatives aimed at positioning Nigeria prominently on the global Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) landscape. Reserved exclusively for distinguished achievers within the ICT sector, past lecturers have included notable figures such as Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the former executive vice chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, former Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Dr. Jean Luc Fort, CEO of OR System France and an expert in Counterparty Risk; and Professor Chris Nwagboso, Chairman of Knowledge Factory International in the United Kingdom.
Among others who have contributed to the lecture series are Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO of VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director of Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer of Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer of Digital Encode; and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs. Additionally, Prof. Isa Pantanmi, the minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has also been among the distinguished speakers contributing to the lecture series.
