By The open source language ecosystem has been rejigged with what experts the new development named: the Nigerian Atlas for Languages & AI at Scale (N-ATLAS).
N-ATLAS, is a multilingual, multimodal, open-source large language model (LLM) designed to map and digitize Nigeria’s rich linguistic heritage while building datasets to power inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.
The N-ATLAS, which was unveiled on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), was supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy and powered by Awarri.
The N-ATLAS positions Nigeria at the forefront of AI innovation in Africa, while contributing meaningfully to the global AI ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital
Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, said: “N-ATLAS is more than a language model; it is a national
commitment to unity, inclusion, and global contribution.
“By building this open resource, we are putting the voices of Nigerians, and by extension Africans, at the heart of the digital future. This initiative demonstrates our resolve to shape AI in a way that reflects our people and our aspirations.”
Tijani further noted: “Our goal is to advance natural language processing for
under-represented languages, and in doing so, showcase Nigeria’s leadership in building
digital public goods that will empower the continent and contribute to global AI development.”
Chief Executive Offucer and Co-Founder of Awarri, Mr Silas Adekunle, said: “At Awarri, our vision is to enable the development and adoption of frontier technology in Africa. This is a great example of the private and public sector collaboration towards the development of frontier technology in Nigeria.
With N-ATLAS, we are taking a bold step in ensuring that Nigeria’s voices and
languages are not just immortalized but amplified in the age of artificial intelligence. Too
often, the technologies we rely on are built for contexts far removed from our realities. This
model represents cultural preservation, access, and empowerment.
By making it open source, we have created the foundation that ensures that every developer, researcher, and innovator can build solutions in their own languages and on their own terms. N-ATLAS shows that Africa is not waiting to be included in the AI revolution; we are leading it.”
Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Awarri, Eniola Edun, emphasized the inclusivity of the initiative, noting: “N-ATLAS is about making AI more accessible and useful to everyday people.
“By embedding our languages and cultural contexts into its foundation, we are enabling solutions that feel authentic and relevant. By releasing it openly, we are inviting developers,
entrepreneurs, and researchers to innovate without barriers. This is how we ensure that
technology reflects our diversity and supports our growth.”
While speaking to the importance of this feat, National Director of NCAIR, Dr. Olubunmi Ajala, highlighted the importance of building technical foundations for long-term impact: “N-ATLAS is a strategic infrastructure for Nigeria’s AI future. By combining technical excellence with open collaboration, we are equipping innovators with the tools they need to create context-aware applications that solve real-world problems across education, health, and commerce. This is a model built for scale, resilience, and global relevance.”
N-ATLAS is now available for developers, researchers, and innovators worldwide to access,
adapt, and deploy. By leveraging the model, stakeholders can create applications and
solutions that reflect Nigeria’s diversity and contribute to Africa’s leadership in frontier
technologies.
