By Prince Osuagwu

WHILE there are improvements  in ICT oriented services, Nigeria as a country, and Africa at large is still behind in terms of emerging technologies – genetics, nanotechnology, robotics, biotechnology and artificial intelligence.

This is the view of Chief Executive Officer, Mascot Information and Technology Solutions, Mr. Agbolade Omowole.

Omowole said that this, among other issues informed his company’s decision to embark on a two-day emerging and life extending technologies workshop themed: “The role of emerging technologies in sustainable economic development in Nigeria.”

The two day event is scheduled to hold on December 4  at Magrellos Eateries, Amuwo Odofin and on December 5, at the Radisson Blu Anchorage hotel, Ikoyi, both in Lagos state. Speakers at the event include; British philosopher, David Pearce, Korea based artificial intelligence expert, Mira Kwak, U.S software developer, Micah Redding, and US space scientist, Christopher Jannette.

Kwak , one of the speakers at the event, believes that artificial intelligence can help in human creativity using artificial neural networks, decision support systems, and data mining to help industries, organization and tertiary institutions to boost and increase human creativity in Nigeria.

Pearce, on his part told Hi-Tech in an online interview: “If I lived in Africa, I would find it almost incomprehensible how people in the rich world moan and groan. But over the years, I’ve known a number of people take their own lives. The genetics and biology of suffering hits rich and poor alike.”

Dr. Ilia Stambler will speak remotely at Nigeria ICT Fest. He is an Israeli researcher on aging and believes that Nigerians have to understand the basics of healthy living if they want to live longer and better.