Pantami Receives New Appointment

Dr. Pantami has been appointed to a new role, marking the latest development in his career.

Professor Isa Ali Pantami, the ex-Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has been selected by African Union (AU) to serve as Co-Chairman of the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (AU-ASRIC).

Pantami’s new position places him in a crucial role to shape the policy and strategy for Africa’s 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), with significant impact expected on all 54 countries across the continent.

A prominent advocate of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is Professor Pantami, who formerly held the position as Nigeria’s Minister of Communications.

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As Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), he was instrumental in setting up the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) as part of his notable contributions.

With an emphasis on Digital Society and Emerging Technologies, he played a vital part in the development of Nigeria’s inaugural Digital Economy Policy.

Professor Pantami holds the distinction of being the initial African to attain recognition as a Fellow by the Chartered Institute of Information Security located in United Kingdom.

Professor Anicia Nicola Peter from Namibia, a renowned researcher with extensive expertise in Human-Computer Interaction, Social Media, Gamification and other emerging technologies has been appointed by the AU as Co-Chair of the council alongside Pantami. Professor Peter is further distinguished for her leadership role at Namibia’s Presidential Task Force on Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and serves as an adjunct Research Professor at the University of Namibia.

The council has an impressive array of specialists, among them Professor Khaleed Ghedira from Tunisia and Professor Maha Grima from Morocco, along with other noteworthy scholars and policymakers. Together they are anticipated to spearhead the implementation of innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity throughout Africa.