Nigeria and Vietnam launch new AI innovation and funding initiatives

Nigeria and Vietnam are launching new initiatives to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has opened applications for the 2026 National AI Innovation Challenge. Organized through the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, the program supports innovators building solutions using N-ATLAS, a multilingual platform supporting Nigerian languages such as Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo. Participants can access technical mentorship, computing resources, and potential government pilot opportunities.

In Vietnam, the National Technology Innovation Foundation (NATIF) is preparing a funding program to drive AI adoption among businesses. Based on an adapted version of Singapore’s 100 Experiment model, the program offers up to 150,000 USD per project. NATIF aims to select 15 key AI application projects in 2026, with plans to expand to 50 projects annually starting in 2027. The initiative involves collaboration between the state, businesses providing data and practical problems, and research institutions developing solutions.