Our Reporter
Amid growing concern over Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology and shortage of skilled manpower in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital systems, the Chairman of MOMAS Group, Engr. (Dr.) Kola Balogun, has called for stronger investment in indigenous technological capacity.
Balogun made the call while inspecting the newly established Kola Balogun College of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Engineering (KBCOAIDE) at Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, a facility he donated to promote homegrown innovation in AI, drone technology, and STEM education.
He said the initiative was driven by the urgent need to equip young Nigerians with practical skills to drive the nation’s digital transformation and reduce reliance on imported technology.
“This college represents our unwavering commitment to building local capacity for tomorrow’s challenges in energy, security, and innovation.
“We cannot continue to depend on external solutions when we have the talent and brains here,” Balogun said.
Accompanied by retired Air Vice Marshal AbdulGaniyu Olabisi and officials of One Innovation Hub (ONEIH), Balogun toured the complex — which houses drone simulation rooms, assembly bays, digital fabrication labs, and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) production unit.
Experts say such initiatives are crucial as Nigeria seeks to close its widening gap in AI and robotics education compared to other emerging economies.
AVM Olabisi (rtd) commended the project, describing it as a strategic intervention that would enhance national security, agricultural efficiency, and disaster management through the integration of drone technology.
The Vice-Chancellor of Summit University, Prof. Abiodun Musa Aibinu, said the college had positioned the institution as a pioneer in applied AI research and digital engineering training.
“With the facilities provided by MOMAS Group, we are now able to train certified drone pilots, AI engineers, and innovators who can compete globally. This partnership is reshaping the future of higher education in Nigeria,” Aibinu said.
MOMAS Group, through subsidiaries MEMCOL and EPAIL, has also sponsored drone pilot training for lecturers and local youths while producing specialists in PCB manufacturing — part of efforts to build local production capability in critical technologies.
Prof. Aibinu added that the collaboration with the ONEIH–Kola Balogun Technology Centre (OKBTC) would make Offa a technology hub for innovation and youth empowerment in Kwara State.
“The biggest issue for Nigeria is not the lack of ideas but the lack of facilities and partnerships to translate them into reality. MOMAS has bridged that gap,” the VC added.
Stakeholders believe the initiative could serve as a national model for industry–academia collaboration in technological education, aligning with Nigeria’s push for self-reliance in defence and digital innovation.