Viamo has introduced AI-powered mobile services technology for Nigerian mobile phone users to connect without internet access, , a global social enterprise has said.

The technology that was initially introduced in Zambia and later expanded to Pakistan, India, and Tanzania has been launched in Nigeria to cater to the needs of the world’s poorest countries and remote communities.

The launch was carried out by Viamo, a Canada-based firm, in Nigeria last month for mobile device users to access AI technology, even if they are in the middle of nowhere and without internet connectivity.

Viamo is a platform that leverages a conventional handset to connect to a local mobile network and send commands or request information through SMS or voice calls. It functions like any other AI chatbot and can be used by illiterate individuals due to its voice-activated prompt feature. Additionally, Viamo saves on data, making it a more affordable option, the organisation said.

Glory Akhabue, Viamo’s Nigeria Regional Platform Manager, explained that “we understand that these people are disconnected because they are currently offline and do not have a mobile phone to access information. Also, they do not have a smartphone that can be used to access information on the internet. Most of them, even when they have the internet or smartphone are not able to purchase data that can be used to get connected to the internet.”

Some Nigerian residents shared their experience of new technology and how it has helped them find new careers and solve internet needs.

David Diwa, a Nigerian resident, said: “Sometimes I feel I should leave my carpentry job and start something else because of my weak eyesight. So I ask the AI questions about business, and they give me ideas and how to make it grow”.

Also, Kehinde Olubotusun, a visually-impaired Nigerian, used to ask people to use their smartphones to find answers. This new technology is now available to him at no cost.

He said that “for people who are not that financially-buoyant, they still have this opportunity to use even as little as 10 Naira to ask lots of questions that will benefit them. I am so happy.”

The organization is being supported by development agencies in the United States and the United Kingdom, among others. They claim that UNICEF has partnered with them to provide information on HIV, tropical diseases, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene.