By Tolulope Eniola
A Professor of Artificial Intelligence and e-market services at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Prof. Alaba Akingbesote, has called for the adoption of inclusive digital policies to ensure that rural enterprises and underserved communities are not excluded from emerging AI-driven digital marketplaces.
Akingbesote made the call on Tuesday while delivering the university’s 66th inaugural lecture titled, “From Traditional Markets to Bidirectional AI-Cloud E-Marketplaces: Emergence, Challenges and Expectations.”
The professor expressed concern that many Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), particularly those operating in rural areas across Africa, remain on the margins of the digital economy due to limited access to digital tools and inadequate digital literacy.
According to him, as traditional markets continue to evolve into AI-powered cloud-based marketplaces, governments and stakeholders must put in place policies that promote wider access to technology and digital infrastructure.
He explained that traditional marketplaces were often constrained by weak marketing systems, limited global reach, slow adoption of electronic payment solutions and challenges associated with product distribution.
Akingbesote noted that the emergence of cloud-based e-marketplaces has significantly improved business operations by enabling service providers and consumers to interact more efficiently. However, he said limitations such as low automation, limited intelligence and inadequate mobility support have paved the way for more advanced AI-cloud marketplace systems.
The don described cloud computing and artificial intelligence as complementary technologies driving the next phase of digital innovation.
While cloud computing provides the infrastructure needed to develop and deploy AI solutions, he said AI enhances cloud services through automation, optimisation and intelligent decision-making.
He projected that by 2027 and beyond, bidirectional AI-cloud e-marketplaces would become more intelligent and adaptive, capable of learning from experience, refining their operations and generating new tools to address complex challenges.
Despite the opportunities presented by the technology, Akingbesote identified challenges including data security concerns, system compatibility issues, talent shortages, data management complexities, cost implications and overdependence on single providers.
He stressed the need for standardised protocols, stronger security frameworks and strategic management approaches to address these concerns and maximise the benefits of AI-cloud innovations.
The professor also urged governments to increase funding for research and innovation in universities, especially in artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, to strengthen Africa’s participation in the global digital economy.
He called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to establish dedicated departments for AI-cloud studies in tertiary institutions and advocated greater collaboration among researchers to drive innovation in the emerging technological landscape.
Akingbesote further encouraged universities, businesses and public institutions to embrace AI-cloud technologies to improve teaching, research, administration and service delivery while reducing operational costs.
To ensure no community is left behind, he recommended the adoption of ad-hoc mobile e-marketplaces in rural communities, schools and other locations with limited digital infrastructure, noting that such platforms could provide flexible and accessible digital services.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of AAUA and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, praised Akingbesote for his contributions to scholarship and community development, describing the lecture as a testament to the university’s commitment to innovation and societal progress.
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