EU, Gallery of Code Partner to Deploy Smart Tech Model for Food Storage in Nigeria

…As NCAC DG Obi Asika Highlights AI’s Role in Preserving Culture, Empowering Creatives

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The European Union (EU) has partnered with Gallery of Code, Africa’s first transdisciplinary design lab merging art, science, and technology, to introduce a smart technology model aimed at tackling food storage challenges and boosting agricultural productivity in Nigeria.

Unveiling the project in Abuja, Chief Executive Officer of Gallery of Code, Oscar Ekponimo, explained that the initiative would leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a prototype capable of monitoring and tracking food spoilage, particularly in the North East region of the country.

Ekponimo, who also hosted the project’s launch, said the effort reflects the lab’s commitment to creating innovative solutions that bridge the gap between design, technology, and society. He noted that the Gallery of Code Innovation Lab is equipped with advanced technology for research, design, and development, and collaborates with international institutions to drive forward-thinking experiments and cross-sector partnerships.

Speaking on the ethical dimensions of emerging technologies, Ekponimo emphasised the need for balance in how AI and other digital tools are deployed.
“On the ethics of new tools, there is always the good and the not-so-good—I don’t want to use the word bad,” he said. “My generation witnessed life before the internet and also the digital age, which gives us hindsight into how technology affects society. I have a young son, for instance, and we have decided not to expose him to screens for now.”

Also speaking on theme titled “Art, AI and the Human Questions,” the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, revealed that Nigerian creators produce between 10,000 and 15,000 pieces of original content daily across more than 60 digital platforms, reaching an aggregate audience of over three billion people annually.

Asika said the figures highlight Nigeria’s expanding influence in the global creative space and underscore the need for deliberate policy measures to ensure creators retain ownership and value from their work, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes content production and distribution.

“What we want to see is how we can build more domestic platforms that allow us to retain more intellectual property and value at home, It should not be just about engagement; it must also be about monetisation, gigs, and education. A lot of what happens with technology is garbage in, garbage out.”

He added that AI could help bring Nigeria’s over 6,000 heritage sites to life through storytelling, virtual experiences, and digital reconstruction, offering new ways to preserve the nation’s history, mythology, and tourism assets.

Asika, however, cautioned that AI is not a shortcut to success. “AI will accelerate people who know what they are doing, not those looking for overnight success,” he said. “Technology is a tool, but it cannot replace real talent, real knowledge, or education.”

Nigeria’s creative sector continues to expand rapidly, placing local creators among the most active content producers globally—a trend experts believe can be strengthened through responsible innovation, inclusive digital policies, and stronger support for homegrown platforms.