National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By Folake Sokoya
In a historic move to reimagine economic growth for Africa and the Caribbean, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is sponsoring the launch of pilot Artificial Intelligence (AI) hubs that aim to transform the regions into competitive forces in the global tech landscape.
The groundbreaking initiative, to be coordinated by the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Public Advocacy at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, seeks to develop advanced AI ecosystems across both regions. The institute, named after former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, was established to deepen Pan-African collaboration and influence policy, research, and development for shared prosperity.
Spearheading the project is renowned economist and development strategist, Dr. Gladstone Fluney Hutchinson, who is a Distinguished Fellow, and (the Principal Director of the AI project)of the PJ Patterson Institute. Hutchinson, alongside collaborators from the University of the West Indies and other global partners, envisions the hubs as catalysts for industrial modernization, job creation, and a new era of equitable global economic participation.
The plan includes the development of AI-enabled industries, training centers, semiconductor fabrication facilities, and data infrastructure, bridging Africa’s mineral resources with the Caribbean’s strategic logistics. By anchoring innovation in local talent and cross-border partnerships, the project promises a model for inclusive growth and technological self-determination.
Former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a staunch advocate for African integration and technological advancement, welcomed the initiative as “a timely and strategic leap towards digital sovereignty and economic emancipation for peoples of African descent.” According to Obasanjo, “Africa and the Caribbean must no longer be consumers at the mercy of global innovation, they must become co-creators. This initiative offers us the opportunity to rewrite that narrative.”
With Afreximbank’s support, the project marks a turning point in building a resilient, future-ready Africa-Caribbean economy, one led not by exploitation but by innovation, creativity, and cooperation.
For more updates on this visionary development, visit fasnewsng.com
