Infinix, a leading smartphone brand, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), provided hands-on practical training in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to over 30 students.

The workshop, held at the Infinix ICT student resource centre at the University of Ibadan on Saturday, November 16, 2024, aims to inspire the next generation of Nigerian young innovators in technology through the new CogLabs modules, according to Infinix.

Oluwayemisi Ode, Infinix Nigeria’s public relations (PR) manager, speaking at the UNESCO CogLabs Project Workshop, said, “We are thrilled to celebrate our growing partnership with this university and to support the ICT Centre’s expansion, made possible by the dedication of UNESCO, the University of Ibadan, and our technical partners.”

“Through this workshop, we are excited to bring new CogLabs modules in AI, robotics, and programming, enabling hands-on, practical experiences. This aligns with our belief that Nigeria’s youth are not just beneficiaries of technology—they are the innovators who will drive tomorrow’s advancements.”

“Our partnership with the University of Ibadan plays a vital role in shaping the technologically proficient leaders of tomorrow. To the students gathered here, you are the future of technology and innovation in Nigeria. You represent Nigeria’s bright potential in the tech industry, and we are honoured to be part of your journey. Let’s continue to work together to bridge the digital gap and make these opportunities available to all.”

Dr. Eugene Masinde, trainer of the CogLabs UNESCO STEM program, also highlighted the aim of the workshop during his speech before the practical training kicked off.

Joan Nadal, founder of E3BOT and Master Trainer for UNESCO CogLabs Workshops, said, “I am very happy to be here, even if it’s virtually. I want to thank the University of Ibadan for hosting us and UNESCO for all the efforts done to make this possible. We have been working on this project for the last four years, and our goal has been to bring STEM education and robotics to a wider range of people and to make it available to everyone.” I want to thank Infinix for making this possible, he added.

Masinde and Nadal, who joined virtually trained the participants of the CogLabs workshop on different courses, including introduction to AI with teachable machines, introduction to coding with Scratch, creating machine learning models and games with Scratch, introduction to coding with Coglabs, testing smartphone sensors, presentation and setting up of the E3bot, and many more. 

Dr. Demola Lewis, head Department of Linguistics, University of Ibadan, representing the Dean of Student Affairs and the University Management, said this is a dream come true as the university has tried to invest a lot in AI training and the whole essence of this facility from the start as being for projects like this. 

“We are grateful that Infinix has taken the bold step to support the university in AI training. Anybody who is not aligned with AI or IT professionally, whatever your business is in the next decade, will be extinct. This is very important, and we should get our friends involved, he added.”

Community Manager for Infinix mobile phone users at the University of Ibadan, Olumide, said the CogLabs workshop we are holding today is actually a kick-off edition. The first thing we are doing today is to launch this program. Our objective for this particular program is to ensure that we train the 30 trainers that have shown interest in STEM and AI. 

He added, “At the end of the day, we are picking 20 participants to become the trainers. To support them, Infinix-branded items, an Infinix smartphone and robots for hands-on learning, cash stipends for setup, and the Infinix resource centre are available to carry out their own workshop.”

Tijani Ruth, a computer science student at the University of Ibadan, speaking to journalists at the event, said AI education is deficient in most developing countries like Nigeria, and she hopes through the program she will be able to learn how to apply AI to everyday technologies and solve societal problems. Ruth highlighted how the Infinix smartphones given to the 20 participants at the event will enhance their productivity and help improve their skills. It is one thing for you to have this knowledge, and it is another thing for you to have the gadgets for you to practicalize them. The smartphone will be a very good development for me.

At the end of the workshop, the top 20 participants received their certificates as CogLabs trainers, Infinix smartphones, and other branded gift items as they became peer trainers empowered to facilitate such training for other young people in their communities.

Infinix Nigeria has once again demonstrated its commitment to STEM education and AI with the CogLabs workshop training at the University of Ibadan.