Microsoft and Data Science Nigeria (DSN) hosted the first AI for Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Summit at Microsoft's Lagos office. The event brought together leaders from various sectors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for non-profits and social enterprises.
The summit highlighted AI's significant potential to enhance the social impact of non-profits across various sectors, including health, financial inclusion, agriculture, and education. By demonstrating how AI can improve efficiency, scale impact, and address socio-economic challenges, the summit underscored AI's importance for low-resourced countries like Nigeria.
Winnie Karanu, the Sub-Saharan Africa philanthropies lead at Microsoft, reaffirmed the company's commitment to AI transformation in the non-profit sector. She stated, "At Microsoft, we believe that AI can be a powerful force for good in Nigeria, where it can help solve some of the most pressing challenges facing the country. That is why we are dedicated to equipping non-profits with the AI tools and knowledge they need to amplify their impact and create a more prosperous and sustainable future for all."
A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO and Founder of Data Science Nigeria, focused on the role of AI in social good, offering practical examples and emphasizing the importance of ethical AI development. The panel featured prominent professionals, including Dr. Oladipupo Sennaike from the University of Lagos, Ms. Odunayo Sanya of the MTN Foundation, Dr. Frederick Atenaga, an expert on Humanitarian Affairs, and Mr. Sunday Taiwo, Head ICT and Vice President of GIEVA.
Participants also engaged in hands-on workshops, acquiring practical AI skills to apply in their organizations. These sessions showcased emerging AI applications for key non-profit operations such as fundraising, program planning, human resource management, partner management, outreach optimization, personalized donor management, and precision-based intervention.
Reliance Infosystems Limited, a Microsoft Tech for Social Impact Partner, demonstrated non-profit industry innovations using Microsoft business applications, focusing on fundraising and engagement, volunteer management, and program impact dashboards.
Microsoft and DSN share a vision of digital inclusivity and skills development for non-profits. Supported by Microsoft's Philanthropies team, this mission includes partnering with the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide digital skills nationwide through the Digital Skills Nigeria platform.
Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi emphasized the importance of ongoing AI capacity development efforts. "Our collaboration with Microsoft aims to equip Nigerian non-profits with the skills needed to create inclusive and equitable AI applications. This initiative will enable these organizations to address critical issues in health, finance, agriculture, and education, focusing on the practical application of AI across sectors."
Ultimately, the collaboration between Microsoft and DSN seeks to drive significant social impact in Nigeria by demonstrating AI's potential to support social good initiatives and offering practical insights on leveraging technology for programmatic and capacity development purposes.
Play audio
No comments