Techlytics Institute of Technology and Innovation joined forces with IHS Nigeria to roll out TechHER25 this month. The eight-week artificial intelligence programme targets 50 female engineering students at the University of Ibadan.
Training began on May 7, 2026 at the Faculty of Computing in Ibadan, Oyo State. Participants will learn to deploy real AI systems using advanced edge computing infrastructure.
Oluwatayo Winkunle, who founded Techlytics, explained the initiative's core mission. "We are training engineers to deploy sovereign AI on Nigerian soil," she told reporters during the launch.
Winkunle noted that classroom theory won't cut it anymore. "The focus is on systems that can be used in real operational environments across government and industry," she said.
According to her, the programme sits within Nigeria's larger push to build homegrown AI capacity. Critical systems must be developed and controlled within the country, she stressed.
Teams will tackle problems in four key areas: security, urban mobility, environmental management, and energy efficiency. Their outputs will face testing against actual performance benchmarks.
Both solutions for government agencies and commercial products are expected to emerge. Participating teams will build systems ready for deployment.
Titilope Oguntuga, director of sustainability at IHS Nigeria Limited, explained his company's commitment to Nigeria's tech future. "We are focused on enabling the infrastructure and talent that will define the next phase of growth for Nigeria's digital economy," he said.
Oguntuga added that the programme represents concrete action toward that goal. IHS Nigeria is funding the training, infrastructure, and a permanent innovation lab at Ibadan.
A demo day in July 2026 will showcase the teams' work. Public and private sector leaders will attend to review the deployable solutions.
