Leading the Future of Work in Nigeria is the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Nigeria(R-A-I-N), a techy company founded by Dr. Olusola Ayoola – a UK-trained Robotics Engineer - in the city of Ibadan in the year 2020. This company has a clear mission of developing local talents to solve local problems. It uniquely does this; it provides standard and quality education to acquire the necessary skills in emerging technologies such as Robotics and Automation, Machine
learning and AI, and many others.

Dr. Olusola had his Masters and Ph.D. education at the University of Manchester, UK, and returned to Nigeria to innovate and solve existing local problems. His company also trains the youth to acquire the needed skills to solve endemic local issues. "Nigeria youth need hands-on practical experience to develop solutions that tackle local problems," he said in one of the interviews he had. The current educational system has not fulfilled this purpose in any way. This gap between theories and practical application is what R-A-I-N aims to bridge. Indeed, it is an audacious mission.

R-A-I-N has proven to be the hub of innovation in Nigeria since its foundation. Many innovative solutions that have come up include the automated traffic light positioned at the Iyanganku junction in Ibadan, a drone powered by carbon-emission sensors to detect activities of the banditry in the forest, a digital board for teaching, an intelligent socket, and many more. These are amidst other external (outside Nigeria) projects completed at R-A-I-N. It has achieved all of these in its ultra-modern facility that houses fully functional 3D printers, CNC Machines, PCB hotplate, Soldering stations, a mechanical work section, and a host of micro-electronic consumables.


On May 27, 2021, Dr. Olusola Ayoola announced the need for funding to actualize the goals of R-A-I-N and share its vision with anyone who believes in it. In his own words, he said: “the journey has been funded fully from the private purse. I am calling on all well-wishers to help R-A-I-N expand. We need a bigger space, four prototyping laboratories, two factory-sized workshops, standby generators, and utility vehicles." He goes further to emphasize that: "More importantly, we want to issue 1000 Scholarships to develop talented youths in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is my vision." He is ready to make this vision a shared mission with everyone. He says:
"We need to raise $25,000,000 to change the narrative of Africa. It is possible, doable, and
achievable. I, therefore, call on well-wishers from home and abroad to support this movement.”