Kwara Hosts Groundbreaking AI Summit, Unveils New Digital Initiatives

The inaugural Kwara AI Summit has drawn to a successful close, marking a pivotal moment in Kwara State’s bold pursuit of technology driven development, responsible artificial intelligence adoption, and sustained innovation.

The two-day convening has established the State as an emerging national leader in digital transformation, talent development, and cross sector collaboration.
The summit attracted more than one thousand five hundred physical attendees, significantly surpassing expectations, and featured a diverse programme with more than forty speakers participating both in person and online.

Panels and sessions were structured around four strategic thematic areas: Core AI, E-government, Agritech, and the Creative Economy. Leading thinkers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, and technical experts delivered practical, action-oriented insights designed to advance Kwara’s growing technology ecosystem and to catalyse local innovation.

A defining element of the summit was the Kwara AI Summit Hackathon powered by Lovable.

The competition was conceived to energise local innovators and provide a practical platform for developers to create prototypes that address immediate civic and business challenges.

More than sixty entries were received, fifteen teams advanced to the finals, and three winners were selected after rigorous judging. Each winning team received three hundred thousand naira in seed funding to further develop and pilot their concepts.

Conversations on e-government stood out for their depth and immediacy. State leaders reiterated a clear commitment to integrating artificial intelligence into public administration with the aim of improving service delivery, increasing transparency, and enhancing citizen engagement.

These discussions highlighted practical policy steps, technical partnerships, and capacity building priorities necessary to ensure ethical and effective adoption of AI across public institutions.

The summit showcased a strategic international partnership announced by Mr. Wale Salami, Managing Director of the Midlothian Angels Network.
This partnership establishes a pathway for Ilorin based founders to access United States capital markets, mentorship networks, and global incorporation support, thereby broadening the international opportunities available to local entrepreneurs and accelerating their ability to scale.

In further demonstration of the State’s digital ambition, the new artificial intelligence enabled kwarastate.gov.ng portal was unveiled by Honourable Damilola Adelodun in collaboration with the Ilorin Innovation Hub.

The portal represents a major milestone in the State’s drive to modernise public digital services and to embed intelligent solutions into the citizen interface.
Reflecting on the summit’s outcomes, Governor of Kwara State His Excellency Mallam, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said: “The Ilorin AI Summit is not simply an event. It is a statement of purpose and a commitment to the future we seek for our people. We are building an ecosystem where talent is recognised, ideas are tested, and solutions are scaled to deliver real impact. Our priority is to create the policy environment, institutional partnerships, and investment pathways that transform local ingenuity into sustainable jobs, thriving enterprises, and improved public services for every resident of Kwara.”

Commenting on the role of the Ilorin Innovation Hub and the partnerships emerging from the summit, Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, Mr. Temi Kolawole, observed: “What we witnessed at the summit is proof that collaboration unlocks possibility. When government, academia, investors, and creators come together with a shared purpose, an enabling environment is formed for experimentation and growth. The cross-border investment pathways, and the new digital platforms are practical enablers that will accelerate local innovation and create opportunities for thousands of learners and founders in Ilorin and beyond.”
The summit met its objectives by advancing policy conversations, showcasing tangible interventions, and reinforcing the talent pipeline in Kwara.

It brought together policy makers, university academics, private sector leaders, technology practitioners, investors, and young innovators to explore how artificial intelligence can be responsibly applied across sectors to improve governance, agriculture, education, and the creative industries.

The result was renewed commitments, nascent partnerships, and heightened investor interest aimed at turning ideas into deployable solutions.
A distinguished array of government officials and sector leaders attended the summit. Their presence underscored the broad institutional support behind Kwara’s digital strategy.

The event was further strengthened by participation from national and international technology organisations, development partners, and established industry practitioners who offered technical expertise and partnership commitments.

The success of the Kwara AI Summit was made possible through the generous support of the Kwara State Government and partners including IHS Towers, Lovable, Pastel, Premia Business Network, AI in Nigeria, Zoho, Awarri, AgoraVisa, NCAIR, KWASU, NaijaSolve, Metronet, Soft Thread Solutions, TDA, CWG, UNDP, Scrella, and CubeOver. Together, they helped deliver an event that sets a new national benchmark: bold, inclusive, transformative, and deeply impactful.
Their collaboration ensured a well curated programme and an inclusive experience that has set a new standard for innovation gatherings in Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Kwara State will build upon this momentum to expand opportunities that convert learning into employment, entrepreneurship, and sector wide innovation.

With a robust pipeline of talent emerging from institutions such as the University of Ilorin and a thriving local innovation community, the State is poised to scale talent, refine enabling policies, and advance partnerships that position Kwara as a prominent destination for artificial intelligence development in Nigeria and across the African continent.