Innotech Ideation Hub

Advancing AI and Digital Inclusion Through Multi Stakeholder Collaboration in Nigeria

This Saturday, InnoTech Ideation Hub, in partnership with Africa Digital Inclusion Alliance and Haigha Technology, successfully hosted the Nigeria Digital Inclusion Leadership Forum 2026 in Maiduguri.

With the theme Advancing AI, amplifying digital inclusion and sustaining development, the forum brought together participants from across Nigeria, both in person and online, including digital inclusion practitioners, industry leaders, and policy actors.

Discussions focused on practical pathways to digital inclusion, covering key issues such as infrastructure, access, affordability, connectivity, digital literacy, inclusivity, policy implementation, and funding.

The sessions featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, and expert presentations, each grounded in real-world experience and actionable insights.

This engagement reflects a growing commitment to building a more inclusive digital ecosystem that enables equitable access to opportunities and supports sustainable development.

We appreciate our amazing speakers including Yakaka Mandara Afiniki Mangzha Mustapha Hassan Musti MSc Env. Faidat Abdullahi Doyinsola Godwin-Abdullahi Emmanuel N. Vitus and Khadijah Jimeh for their valuable contributions, as well as all participants who made the forum impactful.

Thank you to VICTOR OTIENO Harun Abubakar and Albashir Ishaq Ibrahim for organizing this impactful event.

Nigeria Digital Inclusion Leadership Forum 2026

We are pleased to announce that InnoTech Ideation Hub, in partnership with AFRICA DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE and Haigha Technology, will be implementing the Nigeria Digital Inclusion Leadership Forum 2026.

The forum will bring together leaders from academia, business, government, and the development sector to advance conversations on AI, digital inclusion, and sustainable development.

This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building a digitally inclusive ecosystem, strengthening capacity, and driving practical actions that will support innovation, productivity, and equitable access to opportunities across Nigeria.

Date: Saturday, 28th March 2026
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Hybrid (Zoom & innoTech’s office, Maiduguri, Nigeria)

you can register to participate via this link: https://rb.gy/h8k9ew

We look forward to engaging stakeholders and shaping the future of digital inclusion together.

Harun Abubakar

From Knowledge to Impact: Building AI Careers That Solve Real Problems 🚀

At Innotech Graduation Day 1.0, the conversation opened with a strong and practical panel session on “Building a Career in AI in Nigeria,” featuring Engr. Dr. Stephen J Bassi and Engr. Harun Abubakar.

The discussion was direct and grounded in reality. The panelists emphasized that Africans must use AI to solve local problems using local understanding. Importing solutions from other countries without adapting them to our context will not produce meaningful results. The starting point, they stressed, is not technology but problem definition. Do not just build solutions, find real problems first.

They also encouraged graduates to build strong portfolios. Not only through paid or client projects, but equally through self initiated projects that demonstrate skill and depth. Technical competence in Python, machine learning, and data analysis was strongly advised. In addition, they highlighted the importance of soft skills such as collaboration, creativity, communication, and problem solving.

Following the panel, Afshan Parkar (FHEA) delivered a keynote address on “From Learning AI to Building Value.”👨🏽‍💻

She expanded the discussion to the global stage, explaining that AI is already transforming business, government, healthcare, and environmental monitoring. The opportunity is significant, but only for those who can apply AI responsibly and effectively. She stressed that impactful AI projects combine technical skill with user experience and ethical considerations.

She also warned about common pitfalls in AI projects, including unclear problem statements and poor data quality, which may lead to ineffective systems and privacy risks. Responsible AI development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong ethical foundations are essential for building trust and long term impact.

The combined message from both the panel and the keynote was consistent. AI knowledge alone is not enough. Value comes from clarity of purpose, technical depth, ethical responsibility, and relevance to our environment.
Graduation marked the completion of training. The responsibility to build begins now. 👨🏽‍💻🚀

As part of Innotech Graduation Day 1.0, we will host a focused panel session on the theme “Building a Career in AI in Nigeria.”

This session is designed to give our Diploma in Artificial Intelligence graduates a realistic view of what it takes to grow in the Nigerian AI ecosystem, whether through employment, startups, freelancing, or research.

We are pleased to host the following panelists:

Engr. Dr. Bassi Stephen J. Bassi, HOD, Computer Engineering, University of Maiduguri.
An academic with over a decade of experience in computing, with expertise in computer programming, software development, and database systems. He brings the academic and research perspective on building strong technical foundations and long term career growth.

Harun Abubakar, CEO, Haigha Technology, and Focal Person, iDICE Borno. A tech startup founder with years of experience in software development and IT consulting. He brings the industry and entrepreneurship perspective, which is critical for graduates who want to build solutions or launch ventures.

The session will be moderated by Khadijah Jimeh, Associate AI Trainer at innoTech Ideation Hub, who will guide the discussion toward practical insights and honest advice.

This panel is not about theory. It is about clarity, direction, and practical steps. Our goal is to ensure that our graduates leave with a clear understanding of how to position themselves in the AI space in Nigeria.

NITDA Nigeria

We are honored to host Afshan Parker as the Guest Speaker for Innotech Graduation Day 1.0, where she will deliver a keynote on “From Learning AI to Building Value.”

Afshan is an experienced faculty member with over 17 years in Computer Science and Information Technology, currently serving at Zayed University. She has been recognized multiple times as an “Exceeds Expectation” faculty and was awarded the UAE Golden Visa under talented professionals. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom and holds advanced certifications in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from the University of Oxford as well as the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a Certified Artificial Intelligence Practitioner from CertNexus.

Her expertise spans Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, programming in Python, Java, C, C++, C #, database systems, and web technologies. In addition, she actively mentors students, advises tech initiatives including gaming development, and leads innovation driven learning communities. Her combination of academic depth and industry engagement makes her voice particularly relevant to our graduates who are transitioning from learning AI to building real value.

Haigha Technology Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency NITDA Nigeria

Innotech Graduation Day 1.0

We are proud to announce the first graduation ceremony of innoTech AI Academy, which brings together learners from two different cohorts who have successfully completed the Diploma in Artificial Intelligence.

This is more than a certificate event. It marks the transition from learning AI concepts to applying them in real life.

The event will feature a keynote speech on the topic “From Learning AI to Building Value” which will focus on how our graduates can move beyond theory and start solving real problems using AI. In addition, we will host a panel session on “Building a Career in AI in Nigeria” where industry professionals will discuss employment, freelancing, startups, and research pathways within the Nigerian ecosystem.

The program will also include certificate presentation, networking sessions, and engagement with industry stakeholders.

At innoTech AI Academy, our goal has always been clear which is to equip young people with practical digital and AI skills that translate into opportunity, income, and impact. Graduation Day 1.0 is a milestone, but equally it is a starting point for our graduates.

To our AI Specialists, the responsibility now is to build, to experiment, to solve, and to create value.

The AI moment is here. The work starts now.

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 🧑‍💻 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚. 🚀

Since December 2025, Innotech AI Academy has been training individuals on essential artificial intelligence skills required for work efficiency, entrepreneurship, business development, learning and development, creativity, and innovation.

𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎, 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔. 👩‍💻

- They gained a solid understanding of artificial intelligence fundamentals, which is what AI is, how it works, and how it is applied across education, business, agriculture, health, and security.
- They understood core AI learning approaches, including supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, using practical and relatable examples.
- They gained hands on exposure to machine learning, including basic concepts of neural networks, deep learning, and how models are trained with data.
- They used large language models (LLMs) both online and offline, including installing LLMs on smartphones with PocketPal, which expanded access beyond constant internet connectivity.
- They effectively used AI chatbots and tools for content creation, research, learning support, and problem solving, as well as applied structured prompt engineering to improve output quality.
- They applied AI tools to real academic and business use cases, including research support, proposal writing, marketing content creation, and customer communication.
- We are proud of the impact recorded so far, especially seeing how learners are already translating these skills into jobs, income, and productivity gains.

What some of our trainees are saying. 📢
“𝘐 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘐 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦. 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘫𝘰𝘣.”

“𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 3 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.”

“𝘐 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

Join us at to become an AI generalist solving problem in every domain using the power of AI tools.

Kudos to all our learners for their enthusiasm, passion and commitment towards learning AI.

https://yen.ng/yen2/2025/12/innotech-ideation-hub-leads-ai-awareness-drive-in-maiduguri-records-over-300-participants

Check out the report by Yerwa Express News on our recently concluded Maiduguri AI Awareness Drive.

InnoTech Ideation Hub leads AI awareness drive in Maiduguri, records over 300 participants InnoTech Ideation Hub has hosted a one-day AI awareness program in Maidugur

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐢 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

InnoTech Ideation Hub is proud to report the massive success of Maiduguri AI Awareness Drive, an important event that brought together more than 300 participants, including working professionals, innovators, students, and entrepreneurs.

The event was honoured by the presence of key personalities such as the representative of DG NITDA, the E.S of Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency, academic professors, & AI experts including Jay B. & Afshan Parkar (FHEA) joining virtually from outside Nigeria.

Through this one-day programme, participants gained a deeper understanding of the skills of the future, and were well informed about the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence.

The panel session offered valuable insights on how countries across the world are embracing AI and the economic benefits it brings to nations that adopt it. Expert presentations covered essential areas which include:

• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Applications of AI in key sectors
• AI ethics and responsible use
• Hands-on practical sessions on AI tools for communication, productivity, business development, and creative work such as video and image generation

This event marked another step towards building a more informed, prepared, and digitally skilled community in our region. It was more than a training, which is why it served as a launchpad for a network of AI champions who are ready to drive digital transformation.

Thank you to all our partners including Haigha Technology, Development Hub (DH) Co-Development Hub Splash Innovation Hub PLURALSPOT.NG AridBeep CIAtech Africa & VisualBints for their support in making this event a success.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to its impact.