By Elizabeth Chukwuma
Mrs Roseline Ilori, a technology expert, has stressed ‘‘the need for government at all levels, industrialists and other stakeholders to invest massively in technology; not just software development, but in robotics, artificial intelligence, bio-medicine, voice biometrics among others.
In a Statement issued in Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve centre, Mrs. Ilori, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer,CEO, of Bridge57 Solutions Limited, had said that such investments ‘‘will shore up manufacturing competitiveness through authentication and traceability of goods and services, improve physical security and cyber security’’.
She opined that the government needs to be more proactive in making the Nigerian technology environment more friendly by seeing to its growth and ensuring that young Nigerians interest in technology were massive. She disclosed that Nigerian technology experts were the most sought-after in the developed economies as the relocation syndrome had taken up half of the technology brains the country possessed.
She noted that the Nigerian environment, for now, is not conducive enough for technology to thrive, insisting that ‘‘the government needs to do more in that regard to bring out more technology to the fore’’. She averred that the ‘‘Japa Syndrome’ has been a major challenge affecting the country human capital potential’’, hence, ‘‘the need to grow more of these professionals internally so that when some leave, many more would be around to keep the country going’’.
The Nigerian technology expert , who could not hide her feelings had said that the nation still lags behind in innovation and thus, had made it imperative for the ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, under the close watch of Ibahim Isah Patami, to understand that‘’technology is quite different from innovation’ and work around it
She has made it clear to those that cares to listen that “In terms of technological development of Nigeria is still very far behind compared to the technologically advanced countries of Europe, the North American countries of the United States and Canada, including the Asian Countries of China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Given instance of Bridge 57 Solutions Limited, founded by her, Mrs.Ilori disclosed that she had the opportunity to go through some training on innovation in some international organizations, and realized that the language of the people was innovation while in Nigeria only a very few people really understand what innovation is all about.
She many have gladdened the heart of Nigerian industrialists when revealed that technology wise, the country is doing well, but lagging behind in innovation practice itself. Hear the Nigeria technology expert: Innovation is not just about technology, it is deeper than that, noting that ‘‘it can be applied to processes, products, marketing and to different areas of business models’’.
She had said that ‘‘technology[i] can use innovation’’, in a way to flourish.”. It was not surprising why she had advised the Nigerian government ‘‘to remodel the Nigerian educational curriculum across all levels to accommodate the practical aspects of technology to engender early exposure to the nitty-gritty of technology and innovation’’.
She had said that the ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, need ‘‘to expose, encourage and sensitize every Nigerian child through the educational system from a tender age, Primary to the tertiary institutions to the massive economic potentials of technology and its ability to solve almost every problem across all sectors of the economy.“Technology as of today is beyond computers and smartphones as it encompasses a whole lot which if youths are properly exposed to practice can yield massive economic potential and gains for the country’’, she had said.
She did not stop there. She insists that “In Nigerian universities as of today, a lot is going on technologically that the government can take advantage of it, and invest enormous resources to open up the minds of the students to the practical aspects of technology.
Mrs.Ilori averred that the government funding and disbursement must be put to good use to secure the future of technology and educate more persons that may be willing to use their intelligence for the development of the nation. She had charged young girls, particular, to develop more interest in technology , perceived to be a male dominant field, even if they might be few in number and assert their competencies and capabilities. She had said that “Funding of technology is the key and the cash flow is the blood of any business, insisting that ‘‘ this is necessary to build business start-ups that are innovation-driven.
Speaking on Bridge57 Solutions, where she had implemented diverse business initiatives and products for several organizations, NGOs, and government parastatals using strategic foresight, drive and determination, Ilori said the organization was established with the aim of organizing workshops, using innovative practices, methodology and tools to improve the Nigerian technology environment.
She had alluded to the fact that she have been in the technology space for 18 years in Nigeria and several other countries in Africa where they have deployed a lot of solutions in the past. This may have encouraged the Nigerian born technology expert to start Bridge57 Solutions because there are more problems to be solved in Nigeria and in Africa at large and opportunities as well.
Given an insider information, Mrs.Ilori. Bridge 57 Solutions, disclosed that the Company had succeeded in its technology space over the last 18 years because it has several international partners that work with them as technology providers. ‘’We partner with them in order to bring such technology that does not exist here. She cited ‘‘the voice biometrics’’. ‘’Our voices are as unique as our fingerprints’’, She had said.
She asserted that they can use the voice biometrics that a well, to help people using their services but not very literate. The question on the lips of most people was: how can the staff of the Bridge 5 Solutions use the voice biometrics, for example in terms of the security issues in our society?
Beside the voice biometric technology, there are indications that the Company also have a technology that uses artificial intelligence, AI. Already, it is working with a partner that can identify moving objects, an insider had said.The AI, technology, The Value News learnt can actually tell if a person is male or female.
[i] Disclosed
