Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: artificial intelligence

  • FG Announces National AI Centre of Excellence to Drive Homegrown Innovation

    FG Announces National AI Centre of Excellence to Drive Homegrown Innovation

    In a dispatch by Premium Times, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy announced plans to establish Nigeria’s first National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence.

    The centre is expected to support research and practical AI applications in areas such as agriculture, healthcare and education, with a collaborative model involving academia and the private sector.

    Officials also spoke about funding support for startups building solutions tailored to Nigeria’s local needs, including language and productivity tools.

    **Echotitbits take:** This could be transformative—but only if the basics (power, connectivity, and stable funding) are handled. Watch for where the centre will be hosted, how grants are administered, and whether talent pipelines are built beyond Abuja and Lagos.
    Source: The Punch — https://punchng.com/fg-to-establish-ai-centre-at-unijos/ 2026-01-08

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Meta moves to acquire Manus as it races to build advanced AI agents

    Meta moves to acquire Manus as it races to build advanced AI agents

    2025-12-31 09:49:00

    According to PUNCH, Meta has reached a deal to buy Manus, a Chinese‑founded AI‑agent startup, as the tech giant intensifies its push into advanced autonomous agents and enterprise AI tools.

    The report said the acquisition is part of Meta’s broader strategy to accelerate product delivery in AI assistants, workflow automation and agentic systems that can execute tasks across apps and services.

    Industry watchers expect increased scrutiny around cross‑border tech deals and how Meta integrates Manus’ team and intellectual property into its AI roadmap.

    A Reuters video headline stated “Meta to buy Chinese-founded startup Manus to boost advanced AI,” while TechCrunch wrote “Meta just bought Manus, an AI startup everyone has been talking about.”

    Echotitbits take: The real value is likely talent and agent infrastructure. Watch for how quickly Meta ships ‘agent’ features into WhatsApp/Instagram products, and whether regulators flag data‑sovereignty issues.

    Source: Tribune — December 30, 2025 (https://tribune.com.pk/story/2584667/meta-buys-china-founded-ai-agent-manus?amp=1)

    Tribune December 30, 2025

    Photo Credit: Tribune